


Scream

by Icechild



Series: Scream [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anakin Skywalker Needs a Hug, Clone Troopers (Star Wars) Need Hugs, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Fix-It, From Sheev Obi would never, Hurt Anakin Skywalker, Hurt No Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, No editing we die like mne, Obi-Wan Kenobi Needs a Hug, Other, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Ahsoka Tano, Protective Everyone, Protective Obi-Wan Kenobi, Sick Anakin Skywalker, Trauma, Whump
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-20
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:00:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 16
Words: 41,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27647189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Icechild/pseuds/Icechild
Summary: It all finally came down to this. One last fight and the Clone Wars would end. The cameras buzzing around showing off the fight the galaxy was waiting for since the beginning of this tragedy almost ten years ago. The fight between the last of the Sith and the Jedi's chosen one. His family was watching at home, his men watching behind him. This was finally it.!UPDATES EVERY FRIDAY!
Relationships: Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker & Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa & Anakin Skywalker, Leia Organa & Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker
Series: Scream [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2117820
Comments: 49
Kudos: 157





	1. Holo

**Author's Note:**

> This started as me just having an idea and writing it into a base au that I do all the time. As I wrote the prompt turned into a borderline fic on its own so I decided to add details. As I scrolled on TikTok I found some amazing videos and with permission added some of the tiktoks concepts into this fic to make this beast. Please go check out @danielleafenske and see her glorious tiktoks!! I hope you all enjoy!

Sun was filtering in through the window of Padme’s apartment above the senatorial complex. Courscant’s evening breeze floating in through the open balcony and gently swaying the curtains and tapestry that hung about the living room. The holo was running mostly as background noise while Padme worked on cooking dinner in the kitchen area. She paused after stirring the meal to look back out to the group that was in the middle of the room. Anakin and their beautiful children. She leaned against the counter to watch the three of them dance around each other in the empty space of the room. A smile making her way onto her face as Anakin guided Leia’s elbow to the proper position to hold her training saber.

“Like this, see? Then if someone strikes at you you won’t hurt yourself while blocking.”

It was almost hard to believe that the twins were turning seven this year. It felt like only yesterday her and Anakin were laughing about the ridiculousness of their arguing for names. She had been convinced that their child would be a boy but Anakin had been so stubborn in his conviction that the newborn would be a girl. They’d settled that whoever was right would get to name them. She’d always liked the name Luke but Anakin had always had his heart set on the name Leia. When they learned it was twins, they’d laughed as they held their little ones. Tears of joy on both their faces.

Anakin caught her eye as he helped Luke adjust his footing. He smiled at her and she smiled back. They’d been through so much and the war was still going on. Palpatine had betrayed them and fled the Republic. It wasn’t lost on her that she’d very nearly lost her husband that night as well. The Clone Wars had continued under the guidance of their new chancellor, Bail Organa. Unfortunately, Anakin was still a General who served on the front lines. He was only granted as many reprieves as he was because he had a wife and two children who needed him at home. The Jedi council certainly hadn’t been happy when they found out and she still remembered the exhausted looks that haunted her Anakin for the days that followed. 

“Mommy!”

Luke’s voice shook her out of her thoughts as he ran over to her; those were all for another time when you had two young force sensitives who held just as much energy as their father around. She bent down to his level.

“Yes?”

“Daddy said after dinner we could get ice cream!”

“Did he now?”

She raised an eyebrow to Anakin who was now kneeling behind Leia to fix her braids and giving her an embarrassed smile. Luke nodded vehemently and she couldn’t help but laugh and ruffle his hair.

“Alright, only if you finish all of your dinner this time okay? No picky eating or there’s no ice cream.”

Luke gave her a dramatic pout, another thing he inherited from his father. Anakin put his hand on their son’s shoulder. 

“I think dinner’s just about done, go help your sister set the table.”

Luke huffed but conceded, there was ice cream on the line and he wasn't planning on doing anything that could jeopardize that. Padme was still smiling when she stood up, her eyes full of love while Anakin took her arms and kissed her. Following her over to the stove and wrapping his arms around her waist while she stirred and he rested his head on her shoulder, peppering her cheek with kisses.

“What were you thinking about just now?”

“Our family, how lucky we are, how far we’ve come.”

He hummed lightly. The sounds of dishes and laughter coming from the dining table. 

“I love these days.”

It was her turn to hum. She wished everyday could be like this one but she had known that wouldn’t be a chance for her future when she realized she’d fallen in love with a Jedi. Even more so when the war began. The plan had been to raise them back on Naboo, the twins' room by the gardens, raising them like that would have been a dream. And it became one when they realized how much the Republic still needed them. The Republic had been in so much turmoil after the betrayal. She was a needed voice in the Senate, just as Anakin was a needed figure in the war if they were going to win. 

“When do you leave?”

He sighed, his breath sending goosebumps over the skin on her neck.

“End of the week, I’m going to the outer rim, trying to help Obi-wan with negotiations out there. He thinks they’re going to go south quickly.”

She nodded as she turned the stove off and put the lid over the pot she’d been stirring. 

“Then it’s a good thing he has you to watch his back. One step closer to ending this war is one step closer to you coming home to us for more than a few days at a time.”

He pulled away but stayed close as they both made their way to the table. Luke and Leia were sitting at their spots, one each next to an empty seat that would soon be occupied by their parents. Padme sat the pot in the middle of the table and removed it’s lid. Luke and Leia both leaned forward in their seats to see the food while Anakin dished out their meals for them. 

The meal went like most of their other ones. Luke and Leia excitedly talking about what they learned in their classes at the temple. Asking Anakin questions about things they didn’t really understand and asking Padme about politics. They weren’t a normal family but they made it work the best they could. 

The sun was sitting low in the sky at this point, painting it with oranges, reds, and yellows. They’d just gotten back from ice cream and were finally winding down before bed. The holo was on for a drama show that Anakin had loved from the moment Padme showed it to him. Anakin sat on the floor with his back leaning against the couch, Luke sitting on his lap. Leia sat on her legs next to them while Padme sat on the couch and worked on brushing out her daughter’s hair. It was quiet except for the show, the characters putting the pieces of the puzzle together one part at a time unaware that the enemy was with them. It was strikingly familiar to reality if they were to think about it for too long. 

Padme was just about to start braiding Leia’s hair into her night braids when Luke wriggled around to face his parents.

“Isn’t that what happened? With Sidious?”

Padme’s hands stilled and she looked to Anakin for his reaction. He only paused a moment before looking down at his little boy.

“It is. Sidious lied and tricked everyone until he revealed himself.”

It was Leia’s turn to look at her dad, resting her chin on Padme’s knee.

“But you beat him, right Daddy?”

Anakin paused for a moment, figuring out how he wanted to say what he was about to.

“For the moment yes. But I still have to beat him again so that the war ends. You two deserve more than a war for your childhoods and I’m doing everything I can to try to end it. That way I can spend more time here with all of you.”

Luke spoke up again.

“In class they said you and Grandpa Obi-wan fought him together.”

Obi-wan and Anakin’s relationship had taken more of a brotherly turn after Anakin’s knighting ceremony but it hadn’t changed the fact that Obi-wan raised him. Obi-wan was the closest thing he had to a father, and besides Anakin had always enjoyed teasing him about his age. Calling him Grandpa to the kids had started as a joke originally but then it just stuck.

“We did, Grandpa Obi-wan helped me a lot that day.”

“When was the last time the Bad Man showed up?”

Anakin smiled a little at Luke’s name for Sidious. When the twins were little and asking questions before the Temple had reached those classes Anakin and Padme had made the mutual agreement to call him the Bad Man as a point of reference for something to avoid at all costs without scaring their little ones. They were both as curious as he was at that age but something about this conversation wasn’t sitting right with him.

“It’s been a while, but we should avoid talking about it like this. The force has a habit of making things happen when we start to question them. It’s why you don’t ask if things can get worse because they always will.”

Before the twins could even nod their consent to Anakin’s request, static from the holo filled the room. Their program was gone, replaced instead by a Separatist signal figure and then Palpatine in his office at some safe house. Just seeing him again made anger pool in the base of Anakin’s heart. 

“This war drags on by your Republic and Jedi refusing to give in. How many more have to die needlessly before you realize you are on the wrong side? I can protect you. When I was Chancellor of the Republic the casualties were not so high, look at them now. If you truly want to end this war then I have an offer. Fight me young Skywalker. Defeat me and my army and this war ends now-”

The holo was turned off after that. Anakin was trying desperately to hide the fact that his hand was shaking from their children but Padme saw it. She knew what this was already and from the looks of him, so did her husband. This was it. The finale they’d both been hoping for and dreading. She had thought it would be on a normal battlefield, that it would be a spur of the moment that they would catch Palpatine and finally put an end to the agony the galaxy had been in for nearly ten years. But no. Instead the Sith had called her husband out by name for something that was so obviously a trap, and one that he had no choice but to spring. 

“See? The force likes to nudge you if you talk about things.”

“I didn’t mean it Daddy.”

“I know, I know you didn’t know this would happen Luke it’s okay.”

Anakin had him hugged close to his chest, Leia sliding away from Padme and hugging her father as well. They both could feel the emotions in the room, they knew what the holo meant even if they didn’t fully see its repercussions. Anakin gave them each a kiss on the head before pulling away to look them each in the eye.

“Daddy has to go away for a little bit, alright?”

“Because the bad man wants you to fight him.”

Now Leia had slipped into the old name. The image of Sidious’s face if he heard how Anakin’s children referred to him made a smile pull on his lips and a small laugh to escape. He couldn’t look at Padme just yet. He needed to present calm to his kids. He needed them to believe he would be alright, he couldn’t bare it if they thought they’d never see him again. They were both as reckless as their parents, Anakin knew that if they thought he’d die they’d find a way to get to him and the last thing he wanted was his family anywhere near Sidious. 

“Yes, yes princess. I have to finish this so I can stay home for more than a few days at a time.”

Luke was nodding but Anakin still caught the way he was wringing his hands in his shirt sleeves, another thing he got from him he supposed.

“Luke?”

Worried blue eyes turned to look up at him and the scene itself made his heart break. He never wanted either of his children to look like this.

“What if you don’t come back? He’s really strong.”

All of them had seen the scars Anakin had on his body. From the lightning and the saber burns he’d gained during his last fight with the Sith. But Luke would know if he was lying, so Anakin gave his little ones a sad smile and made a promise he wasn’t sure he could keep despite years of knowledge that told him not to.

“I’ll come home. I can’t leave your mom with the both of you. You’re too rambunctious for that.”

He laughed, a little bit forced but the image of Padme reigning in both of the twins was something he’d seen enough times to know it was a funny one. His laughter in turn made the twins both laugh. At that moment Anakin thought it was the sweetest sound in the world. He tickled both of them a little, something they’d both gotten from their mother, they were ticklish on their stomachs and sides. He never wanted it to end but their time was limited and he finally decided to meet his wife’s eyes. The great Senator Amidala was used to holding back her emotions but she couldn’t stop the tears that were threatening to spill over, she had almost lost her husband to Sidious once before she didn’t want to risk it again. 

Anakin hugged the kids close. 

“Mommy and I need to talk okay? Go play for a little?”

The twins luckily nodded and left the room leaving Anakin to watch them exit down the hall and move to embrace his wife. Padme hugged him tight and buried her head in his chest while he rested his head on hers. 

“I don’t like this Ani.”

“Neither do I Angel, but if I don’t go…”

“It will get worse, I know. I know but-”

Sadness and worry were blending together and rolling off her in waves. He placed a kiss to the top of her head and tried to hold back his own emotions at the thought that this may be the last time he sees his family. 

“Knowing Palpatine he will want it broadcasted. He wants it watched. Probably so everyone can see me either fall or die, but I won’t let it be that way.”

She nodded at his words before turning her head up to look at him. He could see every bit of passion and love and fear in those brown eyes. 

“Don’t you leave me.”

“I would never Angel.”

He leaned down to kiss her on the lips. It was ironic in the way that the kiss was much like the one when they first confirmed their love. Sure they weren’t physically being wheeled into an arena meant to kill them but this fight that was coming was sure to be a show. And before he died he wanted her to know.

The pinging of his comm on his wrist was what finally made them pull away. He brushed the two escaped tears from Padme’s beautiful face before swallowing hard and steeling himself for what was to come. He couldn’t show that he was vulnerable, he had to do this there wasn’t another way. Mace’s voice was the one that greeted him when he answered.

“Skywalker-”

“I know. I’m on my way.”

Anakin kissed her again and Padme reached her hand towards his. She didn’t want him to go as much as she knew he had to. He squeezed her hand and made his way to the door before pausing and turning back to look at her. Padme might not be force sensitive but she wasn’t blind. She could see the love and longing and just barely hidden fear in his eyes. 

“I love you.”

“I know. Be safe Ani, I love you.”


	2. Resist

**_THEN_ **

There was a storm brewing outside. Just like the storm brewing in front of him. 

Anakin was stuck standing in the greeting section of Palpatine’s office. Staring at the man who had acted as a mentor to him since he was young, who he’d confided in, who he’d _trusted._ The same man who he’s realizing now had used him as nothing more than a puppet.

“You’re the sith lord?”

He barely heard Palpatine’s response, focusing instead on the burning that was sitting inside his chest. The lies, how much of it had been a lie? All those times he’d listened to him, all those times he’d gone to Palpatine because he’d had him believing no one else would understand. Really this was the man that was pulling strings the whole time. This was the person that was orchestrating the clone wars behind the scenes. 

He didn’t realize his saber was out, didn’t realize he was circling the Chancellor until he heard his words again.

“Are you going to kill me?”

“I would certainly like to.”

“I know you would.”

Anakin didn’t hear the rest of his sentence. The rage that came bubbling up as soon as he heard the words. The man was a Sith, he didn’t know anything about him. _But that was a lie._ How many times had Anakin opened up to him? How many secrets did he know? How many times had Palpatine told him that he was the only one that would understand? That Obi-wan would throw him away that the Jedi would shun him. How much of that was an act to try to push him one step closer to falling. 

He was so focused on trying to calm the rage that was clawing at his throat that he didn’t notice Palpatine again until he tried to reach towards him. The almost fatherly gesture of reaching for his face made him want to throw up. He had a father, or someone he’d looked up to as one, and he’d let Palpatine manipulate him until he pushed him away. 

_‘Obi-wan,’_ he brushed lightly against the force presence he knew so well. Palpatine was probably going to kill him now that he knew, he just wanted him to know. _‘I’m sorry.’_

He pulled away, focused back on the present situation. If he was dying then he was going to do it all by honoring everything Obi-wan ever taught him. All the nightmares, all the secrets, all the pain and hate, all of it was from Palpatine.

“My dear boy-”

“Don’t call me that.”

He saw the way Palpatine paused, no, he shouldn’t even call him that. This was Sidious.

“You used me.”

“I was training you-”

“How much of it was a lie? How much of this was you puppeting me?”

There was so much. He could barely tell what it was he was feeling he just knew the force was storming in the room and his heart felt like it wanted to run right out of his chest. There was a sickly sweet expression on Sidious’s face.

“I never lied to you my boy, and I’ve never puppeted you. I merely told you the truth and guided you to where you needed to be. The Jedi are smothering your potential; they never trusted you. Those are your words, the force guided you to me-”

“You guided me to you. How can I trust myself when you’ve been pulling my strings..”

“If you join me I promise no one will ever make you feel this way again-”

“Join you?"

“Yes, join me. You will be at my side and we can rule the galaxy. You will learn all the ways of the force. You will be able to save your wife; from certain death.”

The reminder of Padme had the same effect of striking a chord on an organ in an abandoned temple. Padme needed him, his child needed him. The dark calm that was washing over him quickly receded as he realized what was happening. This was another con, another control. Palpatine must have seen it on his face, realized his mistake. The false sweetness that had made a home on his expression slid away to show his true colors. His true, ugly, dark colors. Even his voice changed to something more akin to what one would assume a Sith lord sounded like rather than the beloved Chancellor of the Republic. 

“You _Will_ join me!”

Without any time to fully process the words Sidious was launching lightning at him. Anakin felt his body tense up, years of electrocution during the clone wars should have made him used to the feeling but it still managed to lock every muscle without his control. He felt his lungs beginning to seize when it finally stopped and his legs gave out under him. It was only after his knees came crashing to the ground that he realized his saber had fallen out of his hand at some point during the electrocution. Sidious stalked around him, a predator examining its prey, until he came to a stop in front of him. 

“You cannot resist me Anakin. You have no one else to turn to. You are alone, you are afraid, you have lost. You can’t run away to the Jedi, tell them what happened. They’ll hear you have a wife and throw you out. Don’t you see you’ve never followed their code? You must come with me.”

He felt like he was drowning in his own mind. Where was all this darkness coming from? He could barely think through the sludge covering every bit of his mind. There was so much. So much pain, so much anger, so much sorrow and rage and hurt. Unbidden Anakin felt tears welling up, the pressure in his head making it hard to concentrate and difficult to fully understand what was happening. He’d been scared and hurt before, but something was nudging at him within his mind and telling him to give in.

“You are nothing without my powers. You need me. I shall teach you the ways of the darkside and you can have everything you want.”

An image of Padme flitted through his head. His love for his wife felt cold like this, distorted. Something was wrong, he needed to get help but who would listen to him? Where could he go? Last he checked Obiwan was headed back to Coruscant but he wouldn’t want to be bothered, Ahsoka was on Mandalore, he couldn’t go to the council. He was alone.

“ _You are alone._ You have no one left, no one but me.”

Palpatine’s smile left his face when he heard the voice of a man who wasn’t meant to be anywhere near them.

“He’s not alone.”

Obi-wan stepped closer, hand on his saber and steel in his eyes. Anakin’s brush against him was followed by a warning tug from the force. He’d known something wasn’t right and when he felt his former padawan’s bright presence begin to be swallowed by something dark and sinister he knew he needed to find him sooner rather than later. He was glad he listened. The sight that greeted him was Anakin collapsed on his knees sweating, crying, pale and trembling. His eyes looked glazed over but hearing his words seemed to snap him out of it a little. The boy’s eyes, yes he was still a boy, still too young to have to deal with anything that he had, turned up to look at him.

“He’s never been alone.”

Anakin blinked a few times, his eyes clearing more with each one as he took in the room again and opened his bond to Obi-wan. All at once he felt the worry and love and fear. All together he knew what exactly was happening in this room and what he had just prevented. Obi-wan might be used to preaching that the Jedi Code forbids attachments but he knew deep down that he was attached to his old padawan. If there was one thing he was not going to tolerate, it was a Sith trying to steal his child from him. 

“Obi-wan!”

“You are stronger than this Anakin. You don’t need him. You are my friend, my brother. Trust in the force” 

He saw Anakin pushing himself to his feet, saw Palpatine’s eyes narrow as he watched the two jedi. After this line Obi-wan knew there was no going back. 

“Trust in me.”

He opened his end of the bond. Watched Anakin feel all the love and gentle concern, watched him take in Obi-wan’s presence and steel himself for the task ahead of them. Anakin called his saber to his hand again igniting it at the same time Obi-wan did his. Through it all Palpatine stood watching with a cool disdain. 

“Really, you think the presence of Obi-wan Kenobi scares me?”

Obi-wan stepped next to his past apprentice. He didn’t care what words were coming out of Sidious’s mouth, he just wanted them both to come out in one piece. As much as Anakin could come out of this as one anyways.

“We’ll take him together.”

Anakin nodded, his eyes hardening against Sidious. The Sith sighed.

“Anakin, you could have been great. This duo you two are attempting is ridiculous. I am not afraid of you.”

Before Obi-wan could defend his padawan with his witt again Anakin regained enough footing to smirk for himself. The expression was borderline feral, a look Obi-wan had only seen on the battlefield when he taunted his enemy and on some level he knew Anakin was safe enough for now, he would not break today, Obi-wan had made it in time.

“You should be.”

There had always been the holonet reports about them. From the very beginning of the war Obi-wan and Anakin were marked by the republic as _The Team._ Obi-wan and Anakin, Kenobi and Skywalker. They were everywhere together, twin blue blades dancing in perfect harmony and slicing down whatever their foe was. The republic had praised them from so early on, the negotiator and the hero with no fear. The master and padawan, the generals, the Jedi. Their faces had been plastered everywhere in the republic, certain places in the confederacy with bounties under their names. They had always been together, thick and thin. And now facing off against the dark lord who had puppeted and played the galaxy against itself it was still them.

Two blue blades against two red ones. They’d fought side by side with the other injured before. Obi-wan seeing Anakin’s hand shaking was nothing particularly new. Whether it was from sith lightning that he easily could have been hit with before, that was now flying at them every moment the sith couldn’t get a hit with one of his bloodied blades. Or if it was from the trauma of a Sith lord attempting to shove his way into his mind and take control of him. Obi-wan wasn’t sure but there would be time later to find out. For now they had to be worried about surviving. 

Anakin was trying his best. His mind was a mess, he knew they’d have to address it all after this was over. Sidious had gotten in much too easily, he hadn’t even realized what almost happened until he heard Obi-wan’s voice contradicting the inky thoughts that had blanketed his mind. There were consequences to trusting a sith for over half your life. He swung his blade up against the sith again trusting that Obi-wan would guard his now exposed middle. Before there was too much happening for him to really understand it, but fighting was something that he’d always been good at. Fighting was something that focused him in ways that nothing else really could. It was easy, repetitive, he could feel the force best like this. Swing up, block left, slash right, duck. Obi-wan knew the pattern just as well as he did. They were going to do this. The war was going to end. 

They both saw the opening on the sith. It was foolish really that they both moved for it together. A blast of raw force from Sidious sent them both flying backwards. They both bounced off the wall and hit the ground, but Anakin was the only one who moved after. He had half a moment to register the blood trickling from the back of Obi-wan’s head, the other half being taken by the fact that Sidious was stalking towards them both.

Without missing a beat Anakin got over Obi-wan’s body in a protective stance. He was not about to let his master be hurt by this monster. Obi-wan had done so much for him and even without his guidance at this present moment Anakin knew Sidious wouldn’t go into his head. He was too focused for it to happen again. He thought it would be more of the saber fight it was before. He wasn’t ready for the force to tighten around his throat and stop all the air from entering. He wasn’t ready to be lifted off the ground by the phantom grip around his throat. Logically he knew that clawing at it wasn’t going to do anything to help his present situation but natural instinct took over as black spots danced in his vision.

He failed again. He failed to save his master, Padme and his unborn child would die, he was going to die, all because he failed. 

The last thing he saw was the red of Sidious’s blade. He was unconscious before he ever hit the ground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Flashbacks are fun to write. Thank you all so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed! Please let me know what you all thought in the comments and I will see you again next week with chapter 3! Have a great day and be safe shopping everyone!


	3. Ship Out

**_NOW_ **

The council was already gathered by the time Anakin got there. Obi-wan there as a hologram with his jedi serenity on his face but Anakin could still see the worry that was there. Since what happened after they’d both woken up in the halls of healing they hadn’t hid anything from each other. They’d seen too much to do that. It had been a long process but Anakin had his master there to guide him, and his padawan. Ahsoka had also been standing in the room, she’d come back after capturing Maul, joined them and given the circumstances was allowed to retake her spot as Anakin’s padawan. She’d made it clear she wouldn’t join the order again if she had to go to anyone else. Not a very jedi thing to say but the council had enough guilt about what happened that they let it slide. They nearly lost two of their best generals, not only by the loss of their life but the fight that had happened after. The revelations that Anakin had broken so much of the code.

He still remembered the expressions on the council’s faces when he and Obi-wan gave their report on what happened. Mace had gone to reprimand him for carelessness at allowing the sith to nearly take him. Anakin hadn’t even gotten a chance to defend himself when Obi-wan was stepping forward, face of steel, and telling the council that it was their fault there had even been enough doubts to allow Sidious the entrance. That they had failed him. That it was love and attachment that saved them all in the end. But the damning line was when Obi-wan threatened to leave the order if they banished Anakin. Ahsoka told them she would leave again as well and the council was faced with the decision to lose them all or accept their own teachings that the past cannot be undone. 

Yoda had looked vaguely smug about the whole thing. Watched his fellow council members consider before laughing and hopping out of his chair and going right to Anakin. He still remembered the exact line that followed.

_ “For your valor, the rank of Master we grant you. Trusted the order you have, when fail you, we did.” _

That hadn’t been the end of it, not by a long shot. The Jedi order needed to be reworked and adjusted to match what it would become. There had been a lot of work and a lot of long nights. But Anakin knew he wasn’t alone, and there was enough light then that he knew they’d make it work. 

Now he was standing before them again, his padawan moving to his side in the middle of the room. The expressions surrounding him were grave and the air was tense but this time he knew that it wasn’t because of anything he’d done.

“Seen the message you have, yes?”

Yoda was watching him, all of them were watching him. He knew it was because of his past with Sidious, how he tended to react. He’d calmed since raising his kids but he still wasn’t exactly known for being the poster boy for Jedi calmness.

“Yes.”

“Your thoughts?”

This would be a defining moment, he knew. He looked to Ahsoka, standing at his side as she always tried so hard to do. Obi-wan, who had raised him and protected him through it all. No matter what his decision here was they would both stand at his side but Anakin knew the council wanted more. He still had his issues with them but they didn’t fester like they had before. Darkness wasn’t pulling his strings anymore. He needed to make sure Sidious didn’t pull anyone's strings anymore.

“I don’t think I can do anything but go. End this war now.”

It was silent in the chamber. Nearly none of them would look at him. Ahsoka was looking around the room as well, a protective flare rising from her force presence. He guessed it was something that had grown extensively during her time with the Mandalorians. Obi-wan even seemed to grow more fidgety as the time drew out. Anakin would never tell him he did it but Obi-wan had the habit of tapping his fingers and rubbing his beard when he was stressed. 

Yoda finally was the one who spoke out.

“Go now you must, end this war once and for all.”

Anakin nodded. Another look to Obi-wan let him know that his old master was worried. It was late but there was no time to waste. Not on something like this. As soon as the men were ready they were going to have to move. Ahsoka followed him out of the council chamber and into the hallway. She spared him a glance before talking.

“Did the kids see it?”

“Yes, we were all together when it came on.”

“How’d they take it?”

“Luke showed his worry, Leia was trying to hide it but I know she was worried too.”

“Was Luke twisting his sleeves?”

He raised an eyebrow at his padawan which just made Ahsoka laugh.

“He got the habit from you Skyguy, it’s easy to see when you spend as much time with you as I have.”

“Yeah, well, he’ll break the habit eventually.”

“Just like he broke the habit of playing with the wires in your arm to calm down?”

It was Anakin’s turn to laugh. When the twins were toddlers Luke would always be moving around and would get antsy at the slightest things. Both him and Leia had inherited a high midichlorian count from their father and with them so young and shielding being a tough subject for him, Luke often found himself overwhelmed. To help him calm down Anakin would tug his glove off and guide Luke through the wires to give him something to focus on. Logically, Anakin knew that was what Ahsoka was doing with this conversation. Distracting him from the weight of it all and giving him a light conversation to focus on instead. Indeed his son was like him in many ways, but also so much like his mother. 

The two walked in silence to their shared room with both of them and Obi-wan. Anakin and Obi-wan had never split after his apprenticeship ended and when Ahsoka was assigned to him there was still another room there so the three were just always together. It was mostly just Obi-wan and Ahsoka now that Anakin was living with Padme officially. They were a special case to be sure. And they were lucky that the council had sided with them. 

Both were surprised when Anakin’s comm went off as they started gathering their mission supplies. Who would be calling now? They just saw Obi-wan and he’d just left Padme and the kids, they hadn’t told anyone else yet about the mission they’d just been assigned, it was still early. 

“Skywalker.”

“General.”

Rex’s image showed from the projector and Ahsoka moved to stand next to Anakin.

“Rex, I’m glad you called. We have a mission.”

“We know. The boys and I all saw it. We’re gearing up now, ready to leave whenever you are.”

Anakin sighed while Ahsoka smiled. The loyalty of the 501st was something else when it came to the galaxy. The entire GAR was loyal, don’t make that mistake, but the 501st had to be reigned in nearly physically when they found out what Sidious had done to their Jedi. 

“What’s the mood?”

Rex caught the meaning. How blood thirsty were the men?

“They’re ready to show that traitor what happens when you mess with the 501st’s jetti.”

The slight slip into mandoa was what finally made Anakin smile about the situation. It showed Rex’s own protective streak over the both of them. Force help whoever breathed wrong in their direction. 

“We’ll meet you all in the hanger then.”

A nod was his whole response before they ended the link. Ahsoka was watching him with a smug look.

“What?”

“Sidious won’t know what hit him.”

Her reply was his silence. Only then did Ahsoka catch the faint feeling of guilt from her master and moved until she stood in front of him.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t want the men to fight.”

He knew better now than to hide his emotions from his family now. After what happened he knew it could mean the difference of life and death for them. 

“Why not?”

“Sidious wants me. If he doesn’t have me then he’s going to take out his anger on whoever he does face. They’re not force sensitive, they don’t have the same guides as we do. I don’t want any of them to get killed when I could stop it.”

Ahsoka stayed quiet for a moment watching Anakin’s expression and mulling the reasoning over in her head. It made sense. She’d been worried out of her mind when she found out Jesse had been taken by Maul. The things a force sensitive could do to harm someone without the same guidance was mortifying. She understood.

“Alright. But you’re the one who gets to tell them they hold lines. I don’t want to be part of that fight. Kix might murder you on spot if he thinks your on one of your self destructive streaks.”

She sent him a wave of affection through the bond which he immediately returned. He cared for Ahsoka as much as he cared for Leia, but looking at her now, like this, she was blending into his little sister that he’d helped raise. He was going to keep her safe too, even if she didn’t know it yet. 

They packed the rest of their gear in relative silence. Making a few jokes back and forth and grabbing everything they thought they would need. Once they were as ready as they thought they could be for a war ending battle against the sith lord that had puppetted the galaxy, they made their way to the hanger. Sure enough white and blue plastoid armor was waiting for them and filling several of the gunships. Rex and Jesse stood side by side by one of the gunships waiting with an open gate on it. Anakin and Ahsoka made their way over to them seeing the two turn and appraise their Jedi.

“General, Commander.”

“Rex, Jesse, I’m sorry our break is being cut short. I know you both enjoy being planet-side.”

Ahsoka nudged him in the side.

“Jesse just likes being planet-side cause there’s bars. Don’t let him fool you Master.”

Jesse’s affronted response was cut off by Rex nodding his head behind his commanding officers. 

“We can handle it, I think it’s those ones who need the affection sir.”

Anakin heard the running steps and felt the blindingly bright presences of his children before he even turned around to look at them. Padme must have gotten them ready to see him again knowing that he’d have to leave right away. Both of them were in their small tunics with their cloaks wrapped around them. Padme standing behind with a smile on her face looking as elegant as ever even though she’d argue the point if he said it out loud. 

Jesse went to prepare the ship the moment he saw them. He still wasn’t used to the General having two little ones like that despite how many years he’d had to digest the information. 

“Aunt 'Soka!” 

Leia was diving for a hug and the togruta quickly returned it. Leia had bonded immensely with his padawan from the moment she saw her as a newborn. If Anakin didn’t know better he’d think she was trying to steal his daughter from him. Luke had crashed into his legs and Anakin was bending down to hug his little one. He saw the smile on Rex’s face, the man had been there every step of the way. He was always there, through everything. 

The captain cleared his throat watching all the hugs to get the attention of the little ones.

“General Baby, Baby General, it’s good to see you.”

The whole 501st had decided those were the only titles they’d use for Luke and Leia. Leia being General Baby for being the daughter of their Jedi and Luke being Baby General for how much he looked like a child version of him. Both Luke and Leia pulled away from their current hug partner to attempt to climb their favorite trooper.

“We aren’t babies anymore Uncle Rex!”

“Really? Could’ve fooled me.”

It was quiet for a moment before Luke looked Rex in the eye, his expression much too serious for a soon to be seven year old.

“You’ll keep Daddy safe, right?”

The adults there all froze. Rex looked up to Anakin to see him looking away towards Padme. Ahsoka nodded to him and Rex opened his mouth to reply but Leia cut him off

“Of course he will Luke! Uncle Rex won’t let the Bad Man get him. He always keeps Daddy safe.”

Anakin knelt down next to them.

“Uncle Rex will do everything he can, I already told you I’m coming back right?”

Both the twins nodded to him but they both still looked on the verge of tears. Ahsoka and Rex both decided to give the family their space and moved to duck inside the ship.

“Whenever you’re ready General.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We drift ever closer to the great conflict, I've also realized that Christmas is on a Friday this year which means that I get to post on Christmas. So you guys will get a precious holiday special! Now all of you who have read my other works and know my writing style, you know what it means when I get a holiday. I hope you all enjoyed! Thank you all so much for reading and please let me know what you think in the comments. I'll see you all next week!


	4. Meditate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not exactly proud of this chapter but it's something that needed to happen so I hope you all enjoy!

**_THEN_ **

The council meetings were draining. It was something both Anakin and Obi-wan agreed on for a change. Obi-wan had woken up first, panicked that he’d lost track of his padawan and terrified he’d failed to save him from the sith. It wasn’t until Mace had put a hand on his shoulder and pushed him back into the cot that he realized he was in the halls of healing in the temple. Even then it had taken him a few more moments before he realized Windu was telling him to breathe. 

“He’s right there, he’s alright, breathe Obi-wan.”

He followed the master’s gaze over to the other cot in the room and sure enough there was Anakin. Pale, still, and a troubled expression even in his sleep but he was there, breathing steadily,  _ alive.  _ For the first time since he woke up he took a deep breath.

“Care to explain what happened?”

“How did we get here?”

Mace frowned but answered him anyways.

“We were on our way to ensure the Chancellor gave up his emergency powers when we felt a ripple in the force. By the time we made it to the Chancellor’s office we found signs of a fight and you and Skywalker unconscious. I ask again, what happened?”

“Palpatine?..”

He knew it was foolish to hope that Anakin had taken him out alone. Last Obi-wan could remember Anakin hadn’t been at full strength and was working hard to keep up when he had help. As much faith as he had in his old padawan he knew the chances of him winning were slim. It was a miracle they were still alive. 

“He was gone when we got there. We have a search party out now looking for him. Did the sith attack? Obi-wan you need to tell me what happened.”

“No, Master, the Chancellor...Palpatine is the Sith. He’s Sidious.”

“What?”

Obi-wan looked over to Anakin again. Watched him breathe for just a few moments, he knew he was alright but he still wanted him to wake up so he could make sure. 

“Kenobi, why would you not share this information with the council when you found out? You two could have been killed. Everything was put at risk because the two of you did not share with the council.”

“All due respect Master but I didn’t know until I was there, I believe Anakin was in the same position. I felt him brush against our bond and heard an apology. The force urged me to go and by the time I got there he..”

Anakin groaned before he could continue. Both Jedi masters looked over to the other cot as Anakin’s eyes fluttered open and took in his location. Immediately he launched up from the bed with a panicked face and only calmed when he made eye contact with Obi-wan. 

“Master..”

“I’m here. You’re alright. We both are.”

Windu at the least had the decency to wait for Anakin to take a few calming breaths and look a little remorseful when he spoke again.

“I’m glad you’re both awake now. From what Master Kenobi has already told me, the council needs to debrief you both immediately.”

It’s where they were now. Standing in the middle of the council chambers explaining everything. Anakin had hoped they wouldn’t press for details as to how Sidious had gained such easy access to him but unfortunately they did. Both he and Obi-wan were exhausted but that didn’t stop the hours of questioning. The looks of disgust and disdain that adorned many council member’s faces when he explained Palpatine had threatened him with the life of someone he cared for. Yoda was the one who noticed it wasn’t the whole truth. 

“Attached to this person, are you?”

“Yes master.”

“Let go, you did not.”

He was expecting another lecture to be completely honest. None of this had come as a surprise for him yet. Until Yoda spoke again. 

“Love her you do.”

_ How did he know?  _ The Master laughed at the young Knights expression before continuing. 

“Very loud your thoughts are. Carried by the force, protective it is.”

“..Master?”

He edged closer to Obi-wan, feeling the older man shift in turn to shield Anakin with his own body. Half of him cried out that he didn’t need to be protected like a youngling and urged him to lash out, the other half craved to be a nine year old padawan again tucked safely in his master’s arms. Yoda smiled at their interaction. Windu was the one who explained the cryptic words. 

“The force seems to be guarding you.”

“Troubled you are, helping you it is.”

It was that moment he decided to be honest with them for the first time. The force was nudging him towards it, protecting him and his master was at his side. Ahsoka would be back soon as well; he’d be alright. He explained that he was married, explained the nightmares he had mentioned to master Yoda. Told them how exactly he’d discovered Palpatine to be the Sith they were hunting and everything that happened after without leaving anything out. The meeting hadn’t ended there but it passed in a blur. Obi-wan had threatened the council, he’d been made a master, he remembered they’d wanted to do more but decided against it due to the fact that he apparently had looked ready to fall over. 

Obi-wan and him had gone back to their room immediately. Anakin felt hollow, too much had happened in too short amount of time he didn’t know what to do with himself. When Ahsoka came back to the room she’d seemed excited at first and then they had to watch the excitement turn instantly into worry when she saw her master and grandmaster huddled together on the couch. 

“What happened?”

The three of them had spent the rest of the day curled together on the couch, wrapped in blankets and talking softly. Anakin had confessed everything he’d done, everything he felt, everything he’d thought. Neither of them interrupted him, they just let him vent it all out, felt the force curling around him like a hug. Obi-wan had always known his old padawan was the Chosen One, but if there were ever any doubts from him they were banished here. The force had never responded so adamantly about protecting someone like this. It had never been recorded to comfort and console the way that it did Anakin. Qui-gon had told him all those years ago that according to his mother Anakin did not have a father. All beings were children of the force in one way or another but Anakin certainly took it to a whole other meaning. Which only made his self depreciating words cut all the deeper. 

It hadn’t really taken them long to decide what they needed to do. Palpatine had rooted so much darkness in Anakin by this point that it had almost caused the downfall of the galaxy as they knew it. With everything that had happened and all the self reflection they started to look back into the chips they’d learned about all that time ago. They’d learned the plans Palpatine had in place and the one thing that was certain in the world that seemed to be shaking down around them was that the plan Sidious had could never be allowed to be enacted. 

They kept it small. Obi-wan, Anakin, Ahsoka, and of course Padme. Anakin had requested that the twins be left out of this and were nestled safely with the 501st and 212th officers. They figured the best place to do what they were about to was somewhere familiar so the family had gathered in Anakin’s first home on Coruscant. The abundance of light memories there were bound to help with their dangerous task. Padme looked uncertain about the whole thing but made no move to stop it. 

“Walk me through what we’re doing?”

Ahsoka stood at her side with her arms crossed watching her master and grandmaster closely. Both of them were tense, even as Obi-wan sighed and explained.

“When we discovered Palpatine was Sidious, he attempted to force Anakin under his control-”

Anakin was the one to cut him off, still refusing to make eye contact.

“He got into my head too easily. I didn’t even feel him taking over until Obi-wan got to me.”

Padme shifted uncomfortably, she didn’t like where this was headed. All Anakin had told her beforehand was that they needed to do something and he needed her help.

“And that means?”

“It means he’s done something to me. That I..”

Suffocating silence filled the room after Anakin trailed off. Ahsoka dug her nails into her arms and tried to keep her rage under control at what could have happened to her master. At how she hadn’t noticed. That she failed as his padawan. Obi-wan placed a hand on Anakin’s shoulder before looking up.

“The likelihood that this was the first time he tried to control him is very low. With the ease that he was able to get in he had to have done it before, had a pattern that was known to him.”

It was then that Padme finally understood what happened to her husband that night. Understood all the haunted looks and the waking from nightmares screaming before dissolving into sobs in her arms. 

“He’s controlled you before…”

Anakin still refused to make eye contact but no one missed how his shoulders hunched in to try to make himself smaller. An irony for the Hero with No Fear to be small and quiet. 

“The dark side is powerful, conniving, stealthy. It has a habit of sneaking up on you, rooting itself without you ever knowing about it until it’s too late. What we need to do now is remove the darkness Sidious buried into his mind.”

For the first time in the conversation Ahsoka spoke up.

“This kind of joint meditation is dangerous, which is why I’m here to pull them apart if anything goes wrong. It’s only ever performed in dire situations but seeing what could have happened I would call this dire. The council agreed.”

“If the council agreed to this and it’s so dangerous then why aren’t they here?”

A guilty look flashed over Anakin’s face.

“Sidious was playing my doubts and fears against me. He used every emotion I’ve ever felt and twisted them into his hand.” 

He looked up, making eye contact with his wife and she saw all the pain and love and fear held there. 

“He took it all and bent it. I’m ashamed but many of those doubts and fears came from the council.”

Obi-wan finished the explanation for him.   
“This kind of meditation requires a great amount of focus and should anything happen it can be extremely disorienting.”

“Which is why I’m here.”

Padme spoke so matter of factly that one could almost think she was another force sensitive there to guide them and assist rather than the wife of the one they needed to save. Obi-wan nodded. 

“Precisely. Anakin will need an anchor, one that has nothing negative attached. As close as we are Anakin and I have fought before and he’s told me there are fears and doubts involving me. And while they never fought really, when Ahsoka left the order fear and doubt attached to her as well. You are the only person in his life with nothing but light Padme.”

Silence once again was the dominant sound in the room. 

“Then let’s get this started. The twins will want to see their dad.”

Anakin and Obi-wan took their places kneeling across from each other on the floor. Ahsoka watched the scene closely with a frown on her face. To be completely honest Padme wasn’t a fan of any of this but she understood that it was something that needed to happen. Even without being able to touch the force Padme felt the shift of energy in the room. She saw the intense looks on her husband and the man that raised him. She was there when Anakin flinched and his face twisted in pain. She was there to hold him and try to offer all the comfort she could. 

Padme watched them for the hours that it took to forcibly remove the darkness that her Anakin had been infected with. By the time it ended Anakin and Obi-wan were both so exhausted that they stayed put on the floor and just breathed for a while. Anakin had leaned against her while she wiped the sweat from his brow and pushed his hair out of his face. He was tired and much of the time spent in meditation he had appeared to be in pain but he seemed happier now, lighter, almost. Obi-wan smiled at them all and while Ahsoka still had the sour look on her face a bit of tension had left her body where it had been there full force earlier. 

“Master?” Anakin’s voice was small and tentative in a way Padme hadn’t heard it since all those years ago when they met on the sandy planet her husband hated so much. Obi-wan’s head lifted at the call. “Thank you.”

“Always, my dear padawan. Always.”

They didn’t know what they’d done yet. Didn’t realize the shift they’d caused or what powers they had unleashed. They didn’t realize that moment saved everything. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading! Please let me know what you think in the comments below. Every week we grow ever closer to the fight of a lifetime. I'm excited. Thank you again, I'll see all of you next Friday with the update!


	5. Resolute

**_NOW_ **

The operating sounds of a Republic cruiser were something Anakin was 90% sure he would hear in his sleep for the rest of his life. The beeps and pings from the equipment, the squeaks from the mouse droids, chatter from the men. Even now while the ship was on its night cycle and the majority of the crew was asleep, there was still comfort to be found on the bridge of the Resolute. Anakin was sitting on the ground watching out the view-port at the blue swirls and spins of hyperspace. He remembered being a little boy on Tatooine wondering what space was like, telling Master Qui-gon that he wanted to be the first person to see all the planets out there. The war had brought him close but he knew he hadn’t seen everything yet. It was part of the mystery of life, what was left to be discovered. 

He’d come up here to think, enjoy the quiet. But rather than thinking about the battle plans for the future he found himself thinking about his family. He was thinking about the day Padme told him she was pregnant. The joy that he’d felt. He remembered the two of them arguing over the baby’s gender, trying to come up with names. He remembered placing his hand on his wife’s stomach and feeling a kick. Saying that with a kick that strong their child had to be a girl. And while both of them were right in the end Anakin felt himself smile every time he thought of Luke and Leia playing games in the temple garden. Her kick was always significantly stronger than her brother’s. 

He tugged out a flimsiplast photo from a hidden pocket in his robes. It was a way for him to keep his family close to him. A picture taken four years ago now, his whole family together and smiling. They’d gone to the park, the twins, Padme, Obi-wan, Ahsoka, all of them. Walked around, talked, had an actual break from everything that had happened to them and everything that would continue to happen until the war was able to end. Anakin smiled looking down at the picture thinking about how this precise moment came to be the one captured forever. 

They’d been walking for about an hour by that point, the sun starting to dip into its evening position. Ahsoka and Padme were laughing and talking about the ridiculous thing Anakin had done on their latest mission. Anakin had Luke up on his hip while Obi-wan was holding onto Leia’s hand as she walked between them. She’d started out on Obi-wan’s hip like Luke was resting on Anakin’s but after a while she’d insisted to walk next to them instead. She was the one who caught sight of the photographer first. Not long after she was tugging her grandfather figure over with the rest of the family in tow. Obi-wan asked for the group's picture to be taken and handed over the credits while Padme and Anakin got the kids in order. Padme and Anakin sat on the bench with a twin on each of their laps. Ahsoka stood behind them in the middle while Obi-wan came to stand off the side behind Anakin’s shoulder. It would have been a normal looking picture except right as the photographer pressed the capture button a loth cat ran in front of the family while chasing a butterfly. 

In the end the photo ended up being Leia tilted forward reaching out to try to grab the loth cat while Luke was half toppled out of his father’s grasp in an effort to reach the butterfly. Ahsoka cheering for them in the background and half climbed over the back of the bench. Padme with a shocked expression as she tried to keep Leia from falling face first to the ground. Anakin was in the middle of wrapping an arm around his son’s middle to keep him upright with a part startled, part horrified and part emotionless expression. Like his mission mode had turned on but only part way. Obi-wan on the other hand had a half grimace half laugh on his face as one hand reached up to his hair while the other reached out towards his grandkids. The picture made all of them laugh, though he was still asked often why that was the picture he chose to take everywhere with him. 

The crew that was still out and about on the ship were well enough acquainted with his late night habits to not question him. The whole 501st was on edge from the video call out. None of them would dare to claim they knew how he was feeling on a good day let alone now. His troops had gone to other jedi when he was being questioned for his actions and testified to each of them that he was the best jedi they’d ever met. Rex and Jesse had made the declaration that they didn’t want to serve anymore if the Order had made the choice to punish him with expulsion for his  _ attachments.  _

Now though, now his attachments could be worn out in public. He and Padme were able to go to the market together, able to be seen going to her apartment together. They were able to raise their kids together happily and without fear now. He took his kids to the temple for their classes, attended to his duties there, walked around with them after their classes and then got them home for dinner. His family was perfect and after the long hours of meditation with Obi-wan there was no darkness attached to any of them. 

It had been an experience he would not soon forget. The pain, the suffering, the anger, all of it had come flooding like it was fresh. Memories had lashed at his mind urging him to attack and fight the cause. It had felt like his mind was being torn to pieces with the amount of sorrow that washed into him when the memory of his mothers death surfaced. The only thing keeping him stable was Obi-wan’s link to him. The constant flow of light and love that his former master left open to him. He wasn’t going to let him sink. Even when the rage came bubbling up at the memory of what he did in that Tusken camp came to light. 

He’d panicked for a brief moment that Obi-wan would turn his back on him there. That he would be disgusted and horrified that Anakin had commited mass murder and kept it a secret. That he’d paraded around as a jedi for so long when he’d done such terrible things. But instead the anger and anguish he felt from his master had been directed to someone else. It only occurred to him then that Palpatine had likely already had a hold on him by then. And while he didn’t want to abolish the blame from himself he did know that there was now a cause for it. He probably wasn’t the ticking time bomb that he’d feared he was after that whole event. 

Relief felt like a vacuum of his energy. He’d borderline collapsed into Padme after all of it was done. He wanted to cry from the sheer relief of being finally free but even that would have taken too much energy. The force felt pure again, light, happy. It came back to him stronger than it had for the years before and force he hadn’t even realized he was being clouded and his connection strained. Ahsoka brushed against his shields to check if he was alright and Anakin smiled a little when he realized she was doing the same thing again now.

He turned his head to see Ahsoka standing halfway down the bridge watching him close. She’d grown a lot in these years, soon she would be ready to take the trials, if she wasn’t already. She was smart and powerful, and a great Jedi. He was so proud of her and though she wasn’t their blood Anakin and Padme would both consider her their first child if ever asked. She walked up to him until their shoulders were almost touching. Gazing down at the picture again with him following the action right after. 

“Hey Snips.”

“Hey Skyguy.”

It was all they needed by this point in their relationship. All those years ago the names had started as ways to pick on the other ones irritation but now the nicknames were used so fondly that they were nothing but a warm spot for them both. They both looked at the picture lost in memories for a few moments before Ahsoka spoke. 

“I sure missed a lot when I was away from the temple huh.”

That at the least got a laugh out of him.

“Did I never tell you the story? We’d been together since the very start of the clone war.”

She raised an eyebrow at him before smirking.

“Does Rex know how long the relationship has been going? We’d all taken bets on when you two started sneaking your nighttime visits.”

If Anakin had been drinking anything he would have spat it out right then or choked. It must have shown on his face too because she started laughing and he soon joined in after her. 

“Rex was helping me make those visits for a while there before you came back and everything came out.”

The reminder of the order brought both their attentions back to where they were heading and what they were going to do. The mood change was nearly palpable but Ahsoka still felt the open link with her master and knew he was alright on some level. 

“Are you sure about this? You know it’s a trap.”

By this point Anakin was only looking at the picture with a far away look in his eyes. 

“I know. But if I don’t go, and this war keeps going the Republic will lose faith in the Senate and the support in our government will drop knowing that we didn’t try to end the fighting. People will lose faith in the Jedi if I back down. I don’t have a choice Ahsoka.”

It was quiet for a moment more. Both of them knew he didn’t have a choice, it was the reason Palpatine did it. He would have him cornered with no way out. 

“You know,” Ahsoka began, “A wise Jedi once told me we always have a choice.”

Anakin huffed out a laugh to that. Of all the things he expected his padawan to say it wasn’t quoting one of his old lessons back to him.

“I only said that because Obi-wan always said it to me.”

She nudged their shoulders together sending humor and affection through their bond and feeling him return the feelings immediately. 

“That’s who I meant.”

Anakin tilted his head back towards the ceiling and closed his eyes before taking a deep breath. If he thought about it he could almost smell Padme’s cooking and hear his children laughing.

“I promised them I’d come home.”

Ahsoka had to hide a wince to that. She knew the rule just as he did. Don’t make a promise that you can’t keep. It only caused pain for every party involved if the promise couldn’t follow through, it's why the rule existed in the first place. 

“Ahsoka, if I don’t-”

“Stop. I know what you’re going to say, but you’re going to go home. You’ve always believed in me and I will always believe in you. You aren’t alone. Not anymore.”

He knew she blamed herself for what almost happened.Thought that it was her fault because she left him alone and hadn’t been there to see the signs. He knew she felt guilty even though there was nothing that she could have done. Sidious had manipulated them all for far too long already by the time she came into the picture. She’d never met him before he was touched by the dark, the chances of her seeing it were slim. But that didn’t stop her from blaming herself. Sometimes the similarities between them were impossible to miss.

“You’re too much like me Snips.”

“It’s cause you’re the one who raised me Skyguy. So make sure you keep that promise to them and you can keep on raising me.”

Ahsoka didn’t wait for a response after that. Just leaned into his side and wrapped her arms around him. She felt his arms wrap around her and hold her tight and they stayed like that for a while. Just enjoying the other one’s presence and feeling safe. She was doing her best to keep him calm but she knew he was doing the same thing for her at the same time. She hadn’t lied about anything she said. She wanted him to come back after this and she’d stake her belief in the force that he would. 

“You should go to bed. We’ve got a big day tomorrow.”

“Are you going to come too? Don’t know if you’ve noticed or not Master but you don’t usually sleep before something like this.”

He scoffed at her but smiled right after. She really was the perfect padawan for him. Even if it had taken him time to see it. 

“I will in a bit. I just want to think for a little longer.”

She felt the brush of affection through their bond and knew he needed the time alone so she pushed their shoulders together one more time before leaving him to his thoughts. He stayed there for a while longer before heading back to his room. There were a few things he needed to take care of and he intended to try to sleep at the very least. When it failed he decided to walk around again. 

He found himself at the bridge again although this time he was looking over the plans. Anakin didn’t even realize how much time had passed until Rex stepped through the doors. A quick glance at the chrono told him it was 2 in the morning standard time. The ship should still be on its night cycle. And his captain should still be asleep with the rest of the men. 

“Sir? Shouldn’t you be sleeping?”

“Couldn’t. But I could say the same thing for you. Why are you up?”

“Bad feeling about tomorrow. I wanted to go over the plans again.”

Anakin nodded to him before Rex made his move to stand next to him at the table. It was hard to make a comfortable plan when you knew you were walking into a trap. Especially when you knew it was going to be a lethal trap. Anakin wasn’t stupid, Rex knew it, the whole 501st knew. Hell, practically the whole galaxy knew it by now. But it was still unsettling to think of his general and close friend walking head first into something like this. Anakin must have sensed the unease from his friend because he started to talk. 

“I want to believe it will all be okay but I don’t think I can muster that kind of blind faith anymore.” He paused, a hard look crossing his features. “Not when it comes to anything involving  _ him. _ ”

Rex understood. He’d seen the aftermath of the betrayal. He’d seen his general exhausted in a way he’d never seen him before. Learning about the true purpose of the chips was hard enough, but hearing what nearly happened to the jedi he was meant to protect nearly had him ripping out Palpatine’s throat himself. The whole battalion was ready to burn the galaxy to the ground in an effort to protect their Jedi. Oh yes, he’d seen what happened to him. Rex wished he could make it so Anakin would never have to even hear the terrible man’s name again. But he knew he couldn’t. Anakin sighed, deep and weary, before tugging out a holodisk from his robes. One look and Rex knew exactly what it was. It made him feel ill even as his general handed the disk over to him. 

“Just in case.”

“Sir-”

“I need someone to give this to them if I-...I need them to know I didn’t want to leave them.”

A stiff nod was the best Rex could offer in a way of response to that. A last rights disk wasn’t uncommon in war but he never thought he would see one from his general. Anakin was always so sure and strong on the battlefield. Even though he’d seen him hurt countless times at this point it was a shock to see him admitting that he might not make it out of this one. It made every protective instinct in him want to get his Jedi as far away from the danger as he possibly could. He’d seen that look on too many of his brothers faces. He never wanted to see it on one of his Jedi ever again. 

“You’ll make it. You’re stronger than him. You have all of us at your side. Don’t forget that.”

Anakin just watched him for a moment. Taking in the stance, the conviction in his words all of it, before shaking his head and laughing a little under his breath. It caught Rex off guard so much he would have thought his Jedi was cracking until he saw the fondness in his eyes.

“Sir?”

“When did I rub off on all of you? In the beginning you gave me all the numbers of it, I was the one who just said it would happen because I said so.”

“And we believed you. So now believe us.”

“You and Ahsoka are trying to steal my act I swear.”

It wasn’t much, all things considered. But he didn’t have the look of a man walking to his death anymore. No, it wasn’t much but it was better than the death talk they were having moments before. So Rex would take it. He just wanted his Jedi to smile just a little longer. Just in case he wouldn’t get to again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next week is Christmas and there are some big things coming across all my media platforms. I'm so excited for you guys all to see! If you wanna go check out the other places my writing insta is @writingice and my personal insta and TikTok are both @NuclearArcher. And, as always. Thank you guys all so much for reading please let me know what you think in the comments. I love hearing from all of you. I'll see you all next week!


	6. Holiday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Early in the morning yes I know but I'm the only one awake and have hours until I'm able to go downstairs so I'm positing everything early. Merry Christmas!

**_THEN_ **

It was the final day of Fete Week and the household was a disaster. Anakin and Padme were running around trying to finish organizing everything before their guests arrived while also trying to keep their two three year olds under some semblance of control. Luke tripped over his own foot and rammed into the table next to the couch, nearly knocking over a bowl of sweets that had been left out. He would have, if it wasn’t for Anakin using the force to catch it and set it back on the table while wrangling his tiny son in his arms. Padme was more focused on finishing the snacks and dishes that would be consumed. 

It was tradition to gather with friends and family on the last week of the year and celebrate. There was always food and lights and even gift exchanges. Since everything happened Anakin and Padme had decided they would host the party. It made it easier with the kids anyways in the end. And they could spend the day at home with everyone they considered family. Now Luke and Leia knew what the tree in the corner meant. They knew what the smells of food and peppermint candies meant. It was everything in their parent’s power to keep them from finding out what was in their wrapped gifts under the tree. 

Then the doorbell rang. A young, very small, Leia went running for the door with Anakin chasing after her. Yes, Anakin had faith that no one would attempt anything untoward on a day like this but with everything he’d seen and experienced in the past he didn’t exactly want his little girl answering the door on her own just yet. She was only three, there was no need to grow up so quickly, despite what the Jedi may have some believe. He gently scooped her into his other arm and palmed open the door only to come face to face with Ahsoka.

“Aunt ‘Soka!”

The twins both yelled out in joy. Immediately squirming out of their father’s arms and reaching out towards their aunt. Anakin laughed and let them go while Ahsoka hooked the kids on her arms and walked them into the apartment again. Ahsoka laughed at her master’s face and sat the kids on the ground to let them run around again before walking over to the large tree in the corner and setting her bundle of gifts down beneath it. 

“It’s nice to come here instead of the temple for today.”

“Oh god the temple doesn’t know what fun is. Even if we have two little ones that won't stop running into things-” he cut himself off catching sight of his son trying to scale the fireplace in order to battle back his sister. “Luke! Get down you’re going to hurt yourself. Leia stop terrorizing your brother.”

Padme came out of the kitchen at that point with a platter of meats and cheeses in her hands. Universal holiday food, as Padme had told him when he asked why they needed to get the bunch of foods from the market. 

“It’s good to see you Ahsoka, I’m sorry we aren’t quite ready yet.”

Immediately the young togruta shook her head with a smile.

“Don’t worry about it at all. Do you need any help setting up?”

Anakin watched his two girls before his third tugged on his pants. He kneeled down to her level.

“What is it princess?”

“When is everyone else coming?”

He glanced up to the chrono on the wall.

“Oh, should be soon. Why? You excited for everyone to come over?”

“I just wanted to know how much time I had to beat Luke. He said he was going to steal Sabe.”

She had said it with such a sweet smile that Anakin only processed the words when she had already run off to attack her brother. Ahsoka burst out laughing when Anakin went chasing after her. Padme shook her head and sighed.

“She got that stuffed loth cat last year and Luke has been stealing it ever since. Sometimes she takes after Ani so much.”

“She just has to find a way to tamp down her aggression. Skyguy can help her do that. He did it.”

They both shared a knowing look and laughed. Anakin wasn’t as bad as he used to be or could have been. But he was certainly still a force to be reckoned with if he was ever angered or sidelined. A knock at the door pulled both their attentions and Padme paused on her venture back to the kitchen to gather up the rest of the food she had prepared. Ahsoka waved her off.

“I got it.”

She palmed open the door and smiled cheerily when she saw the two outside.

“Skywalker residence!”

Obi-wan and Bail both chuckled at her antics. Some things would never change it seemed. 

“Ahsoka.”

“Padawan Tano.”

She made a face at Bail. 

“Oh come on, we’ve known each other for how long now?”

Obi-wan nudged at his shoulder as they both stepped into the apartment.

“Don’t let Padme hear you, you know her rules, no titles during Fete Week celebrations.”

Ahsoka turned back towards the rest of the apartment while Padme turned the corner.

“Bail, Obi-wan, I’m glad you both could make it.”

“Skyguy! Obi-wan’s here! You get to be yelled at now!”

Obi-wan shook his head but dropped his gifts off at the tree and went in.

“Anakin, what are you doing that Ahsoka said you need yelled at?”

Padme rolled her eyes and opened her arms to give Bail a hug.

“Are you sure it’s alright for me to be here?”

She scowled at him lightly before answering.

“Of course it is. You are a very dear friend to all of us and you’re stuck away from your family when no one should be alone. You are practically family to us Bail, you’re more than welcome here. Besides, Leia has been saying she wants to have another playdate with Seline when you bring her back to Coruscant. Now she can ask you in person.”

Bail smiled at the thought of his adopted daughter. She was about the same age as Luke and Leia and when the trio had met it was immediately obvious that they would be lifelong friends. 

They both heard the scampering of little feet on the ground and squealing of delight as Luke and Leia both charged back into the room with Anakin on their heels trying his best yet failing despite it to calm his children. Both Padme and Bail smiled at the whole scene. Especially when Ahsoka and Obi-wan each scooped a child up as they crossed their paths. Each giving the harried father a look when he slowed to a stop.

“Really, Anakin, you can’t even collect your own kids?”

“You’ve watched them more than enough times to know it’s a task greater than taking a planet Master.”

He smiled and made grabby hands towards his son held tight in Obi-wan’s arms.

“Especially when the little monsters keep stealing their sister’s toys.”

Obi-wan gave a mock gasp and began to lecture Luke on morals while Ahsoka started telling Leia about how boys would always do dumb things with a smile on her face. That they’d do things like stealing her toys, even though she was better. Padme watched the whole scene with a smile, it was nice, times like these when the family could sit down together and celebrate. No war, no politics, just joy. Even though they were still missing a few of their guests. 

As soon as the thought crossed her mind there was another knock at the door.  _ Speak of Devils.  _ Padme smiled, moving past Bail and waving open the door. On the other side stood the last four of their guests. Rex, Cody, Jesse, and Boil all standing happy with gifts in their hands with varying degrees of embarrassment for their timing. Her smile only grew.

“The kids are going to be so excited that you’re all here.”

Rex dipped his head to her as he stepped in.

“Ma’am.”

Padme just rolled her eyes. No matter how much they all stressed the no titles on Fete Week Rex refused to drop the last barriers. Jesse smiled brightly at her as he stepped in while Cody and Boil smiled and gave their standard greetings. She followed the four men into the living area and watched both the twins light up when they saw them. She could tell by the look on Anakin’s face that they lit up in more than one way too. 

Chaos immediately ensued. The twins running towards their favorite uncles and latching onto them like cuddly tookas. Jesse edged his way towards Anakin which just had him laughing. At which point Jesse decided his general would sell him out and headed to the safe zone in the room. Padme. 

“Your children are wonderful, really, they are.”

“You can admit you’re afraid of them Jesse.”

Of course the response was Boil laughing at him. Cody even chuckled at the antics as he knelt down in front of Leia and straightened out her braids. 

“I suppose any amount of Skywalker is grounds to be afraid.”

Anakin’s indignant sound made everyone laugh. Obi-wan tossing an arm around his former student’s shoulders and giving him a squeeze as Ahsoka dug into his side to pin him there.

“We all know how Skyguy is. It’s only natural.”

“I know the amount of times Anakin has given me a heart attack.”

Padme met her husband’s puppy dog eyes. 

“Padme, Angel, save me.”

She laughed at him more. These were the days she lived for. No war, just peace, humor, love, family. They were going to make sure there were more days like this. As soon as they ended the war. 

“I can’t Ani. I have to go get the drinks. You’re on your own.”

She laughed at his groan and turned towards the kitchen with Jesse and Bail on her heels to help her carry. As soon as the last of the snacks and drinks were out it would be time for presents. After that, dinner. The trays were carried out, everyone finding their places spread throughout the room and getting comfortable. The two parents sitting on the floor at either side of the tree in order to properly hand out the presents to their rightful owners and to also ensure that their stealthy young ones couldn't get to their presents without giving anyone else enough time to receive and open their own. 

Obi-wan, Cody, and Bail all sat on the couch. Each looking relatively dignified in their own ways. Boil and Jesse were sat on the floor with the kids, a slight nod to the fact that they were looked at as little brothers from their commanders. Rex was leaning back on one of the chairs sitting between the couch and tree around the table. From there he could see everyone. Including Luke and Leia making a joint attempt to steal some presents but being thwarted by their parents. He had to chuckle at that. He’d seen his general grow a lot during the time of the war. Going from the idea that a kid padawan would only slow him down to being fiercely protective of Ahsoka and having two little ones of his own. Ahsoka sat on the ground by his feet, effectively making the train of present handling complete. 

The gift exchange took hours for each of them to open every present. Obi-wan and Ahsoka teaming up and gifting Anakin and Padme parent of the year sweaters and mugs. Anakin giving Rex new custom pistols, best on the market and Jesse a baby carrier to tease him at first and then the real gift being a framed photo of all of them at the start of the war right after he’d been given command of the 501st. 

There had been a bit of chaos when Luke opened his present to find a stuffed bantha cradled gently inside. He’d been so excited about the gift he held it up proudly just for Leia to snatch it out of his hands. His startled cry being cut with Leia’s proud taunt.

“You always steal Sabe now I get to steal you bantha!”

Padme and Anakin had had to pull the two apart. Leia took her new seat on her father’s knee and Luke leaned against his mom’s chest. Padme had placed a soft kiss to her little boy’s head, handing him back the bantha and telling him to give it a name. The three year old had thought about it for a few moments before finally settling on one. 

“I’ll call him Nikana, it’s Daddy’s name backwards cause he looks like him.”

Ahsoka had been the first to laugh after that, shoving Anakin’s shoulder and telling him to lose weight or he’d look like a bantha. Cody struggled to hold his own laughter in until he looked at Obi-wan’s face, after that it was a losing battle and he began laughing along with everyone else. Luke pouted at them all for a little while before Padme whispered into his ear.

“I think it’s a wonderful name Luke. You make sure you take care of him alright?”

He nodded up at her.

“I will Mommy. I promise.”

She held her baby boy tight, listening back into the conversation as everyone began teasing Anakin for his weight before her husband looked down at their little girl on his lap. He brushed her bangs back making her look up at him despite her joyous laughter.

“You don’t think I’m fat do you princess?”

“Nope! You’re just perfect to hug!”

The laughter roared again in the room. Yes, these were the days that Padme lived for. These quiet moments where there was no war, just family, kindness, warmth, love. All of it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh poor sweet Ani. Merry Holidays everyone!! When I realized Christmas was a Friday I knew I had to do something, but don't worry. This chapter is not just filler. There are parts of this that will be coming back in the later chapters so keep an eye out. I hope you all have an amazing holiday! As always thank you so much for reading, let me know what you think in the comments below! I'll see you all next week! May the Force be with you.


	7. Bar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm Sorry this is so late in the day. I had been so focused on the Christmas specials that I didn't even stop to think New Years would also be a Friday. I realized in the last half hour of 2020 that I didn't have a second special made and had to quickly make one. I hope it doesn't disappoint, but don't write this off as a filler. It is still important for later. Happy New Year Everybody!!

**_THEN_ **

Over half the GAR took to bars when they were told of what Sidious had planned for them. It was either bars or they locked themselves in their barracks. They had been trained to deal with and handle stress but finding out there were chips implanted in your brain that would make you kill the people you swore to protect and loved? That was something completely different. The Jedi were understanding about it. They were shaken by the plot as well. The thoughts of losing the entire order by ones they’d formed friendships with since day one of the war. None of it was easy on any of them.

But the war was still going on. And they didn’t have the time to process it fully. So the men of the Republic’s Grand Army burrowed into their work in the barracks and on their missions or they drank it away. With everything that had happened during the recent turning point in the war. Sidious becoming the leader of the Separatists, Senator Organa becoming Chancellor Organa, the near destruction of everything. 

Two battalions were grounded until further notice. It wasn’t very surprising considering what had happened. The 501st and 212th were staying on Coruscant until their Generals were able to recover from what happened. Both Skywalker and Kenobi had come to the barracks to tell them everything personally. Both of them were so different from how they usually were. Both men were strong forces on the battlefield. Powerful, smiling, unwavering beings with their blue blades leading the way for their troops to follow into the fray. But when they stood before them to tell them what happened they were anything but the image all of them knew. They didn’t dare to stray from each other, staying instead almost plastered against the other’s side. Anakin had almost leaned against his old master when they spoke. Both of them looked paler than they normally did. Neither of them spoke at their normal volume. They were hushed. And not one of them missed the way Skywalker’s voice rasped when he talked like he’d been screaming or crying. 

It sent the protective instincts of both battalions on high alert. The 212th and 501st were forces to be reckoned with when their Jetti were involved. The generals may say their job was to protect all of them but each and every man in the GAR would agree it was their job to protect their Jedi. Both battalions had swarmed their Jedi with affections. After the tale they’d saved them from a fate that would have been worse than death for many of them. Nothing would have been worse than shooting down the people they cared about. Seeing the way their fearless leaders hunched in on themselves made them want to set fire to the galaxy. 

Rex and Cody were both desperate to get away from the suffocating hush that had consumed the barracks. Many of their brothers were hurting but there was nothing they were able to do to make that hurt go away. So they decided to grab a hold of each other and take off to a place they knew they’d be safe to drink their own hurt away. 79’s was always and hopefully would always be a safe haven for troopers. No one else understood the things they went through. Only their brothers could. Their Jedi tried, and they came very close, but they were not exact.

So now they sat together side by side at the bar, glasses in hand and drinking in relative silence. Both of them took to listening to the surrounding conversations rather than holding their own when they went anywhere planet-side. It was a habit they’d developed in service of Kenobi and Skywalker. As much as the famed team was skilled in defending themselves they were fairly horrible at watching for their own safety. The din of the bar was the same as it usually was, chatter here and there. Some of the newer troops even seemed to shy away from the two sitting at the bar. As much as their Jedi were a team their troopers were as well. Rex and Cody put together were nearly unstoppable, The trooper pair that ran alongside their Jedi without any hesitation. That kept up even without the aid of the Force at their side. Rex huffed a small laugh when he thought about it leaving Cody to raise an eyebrow at him. 

“The shinies are scared of us.”

He watched his older brother take a look around the room quickly, noticing the same things he had and rolling his eyes. 

“I think they’re more scared of who our General’s are.”

“Nah,” Rex took another swig of his drink. “I think it’s your scars.”

Cody just rolled his eyes again and grabbed his own drink. He paused with the glass on his lips, not finishing the movement to actually drink. His posture freezing up. Immediately Rex was on edge.

“What’s wrong?”

A storm looked like it was brewing in Cody’s eyes. This was the famed Commander of the 212th, ready to defend but swallowing it down to be official. And then Rex heard it. 

“General Skywalker was complacent. I’m surprised Sidious didn’t just kill him it shouldn’t have been hard.”

The reaction was immediate. Rex stood fast, Cody rising up with him and putting a hand on his chest to stop him. This di’kut dared to insult his Jedi. He recognized the armor markings of the 187th and 91st, swallowing down more anger that was building in his chest. 

“Let me go.”

“No. Sit down. We don’t need to fight.”

If anyone paid much attention to it they would see the similarities between the two troops and their Jedi. Obi-wan often had to pull Anakin away from fights, it wasn’t much different here. Reluctantly, Rex sat back in his seat. The two troopers to their right hadn’t even noticed the outburst. Probably thinking it to be something completely unrelated to their slander. Now though, instead of listening to the entire room, Cody and Rex were both intently listening with darkening expressions to the conversation on their right as they attempted to go back to their drinks. 

“Honestly, General Windu told me he was unconscious when he got there. How Skywalker was cleared to lead a battalion is beyond me.”

Rex’s grip tightened around his glass. Cody glanced at him to make sure he wasn’t going to do anything stupid but it was clear he was less than pleased with the conversation as well.

“I heard he learned it all from General Kenobi. He wasn’t even supposed to be a Jedi in the first place.”

Cody grit his teeth against the imbecile comments coming from their brothers. Clearly the two next to them didn’t know who they were sitting with. Or maybe they did and they just didn’t care.

“Skywalker should have stayed a slave, then Kenobi could have finished his training.”

Rex had enough. That was the final straw for him, he didn’t care who got in his way he was stopping this right there. He knew his Jedi’s nightmares. He had seen the panic on his face when he thought he wasn’t good enough. He had heard General Kenobi’s soft reassurances that he wouldn’t leave him. He knew his Jedi was afraid of that very thing. That he blamed himself for the death of his grand-master even though there was no way he could have changed anything. This time the stool he’d been on hit the ground when he stood. The conversations around them paused to take in the two troopers. Cody rose again with him a hand on his arm but Rex wasn’t stopping. He shoved past his brother and stormed to the two others. He recognized them now as Neyo and Law, two of General Windu’s indeed. And ones who apparently needed their attitude changed on several topics. 

“Get up soldiers.”

Both of them looked at him completely unfazed for a moment before scanning over his armor and the realization clicked. Neyo was the one to start laughing first and stood, Law following close behind him. Rex was aware of Cody standing next to him ready to move in the middle in a moment's notice. 

“Captain, come to defend your Jedi’s honor?”

If Rex clenched his jaw any harder he was afraid his teeth might break.

“You have no idea what you are talking about. I suggest you shut your mouths. If General Windu heard you speak like this what would he say?”

Law jumped on the chance to answer him. 

“General Windu is the one we got half the information from.”

“If it wasn’t true then you wouldn’t be so mad Captain. You can admit it, your General is a failure.”

For a second Rex’s vision blotted out red. Cody shoved himself between his younger brother and Neyo and Law. Rex was going to kill them if they didn’t get their mouths in order and learn to shut it. If they wouldn’t listen to a Captain then maybe they would listen to another Commander. At this point over half the bar was silent and just watching the brewing fight at the counter. 

“Rex. Calm. Breathe. Haalur.”

His use of Mandoa paid off when Rex’s eyes locked onto his. Cody didn’t miss the protective rage that filled them, he understood. He knew his own eyes reflected the same thing. 

“Ner Jetti.”

Cody squeezed his hand around Rex’s shoulder. He knew. If they were insulting his Jedi like they were Rex’s he wasn’t sure he would be able to restrain himself. Their Jedi were _theirs_. It would be shameful if they didn’t at least attempt to protect their Jedi’s honor. 

“Kaysh mirsh solus.”

And he was. Neyo was an Idiot through and through. Cody did not regret his words one bit. He could feel the tension easing from Rex’s limbs at the same time he heard Neyo scoff behind him. 

“The Commander saves the Captain. How surprising. Maybe General Kenobi isn’t a complete failure. Even though he can’t teach or lead for anything else.”

Cody’s hand tightened again on Rex’s arm, this time from anger, as he started ushering them both towards the door. Neyo and Law followed close behind, never knowing when to quit.

“I heard Kenobi was out with Skywalker when Our Jedi saved them both. They both should have been killed by the sith. Maybe the war would have ended.”

Rex saw it the moment Neyo said it. No one even had the chance to so much as breathe before Cody was turning on his heel and planting his fist firmly into Neyo’s jaw. The man collapsed almost instantly not even being able to move to get up before Cody was on him again raining punch after punch to his face. Law moved to help but Rex hadn’t forgotten a single one of the comments made about his general. Now that Cody was on board with the fight effort there was nothing short of his General or Commander that could stop him. 

79’s turned into pure chaos after that. Troopers gathering around to watch the fight flipping and rolling all across the ground. Not one of them tried to break it up. They knew what started the fight, they knew it needed to be finished. It wasn’t until the police droids came in that the fight was finally broken apart, blood and bruises and scrapes on both teams of it. 

The next thing any of them knew they were waiting in a holding cell for their Generals to come collect them. No one spoke. Neyo clutched a cloth to his broken nose, Law rubbed at his wrist where Rex had grabbed him. The most the Captain and Commander suffered was some bruised knuckles but they didn’t much care. Their Jedi had been on the line, nothing would have stopped them. None of them were sure of how much time passed before three cloaked figures stepped outside the cell. Obi-wan and Anakin had vaguely fond expressions on their face while Mace had nothing but a look of pure disappointment and disdain. Mace spoke first.

“Commander, Lieutenant, we are going to have a talk.”

Both of them hesitated before moving over to their Jedi. They looked back and forth between Rex and Cody and Skywalker and Kenobi. Almost like they were searching for something. Perhaps they were looking to see that they weren’t the only one’s in trouble over this. That Rex and Cody would be punished for fighting. Instead all they saw was amusement on the other Jedi as they stepped forward waving to their troops. 

“Let’s get out of here Rex.”

“Come along then Cody.”

They moved over to his Jedi’s side and relaxed. They didn’t need to know about what happened. And his General wouldn’t ask either. They knew that if their troops got into a fight then it was for a good reason. Even as they walked out of the building there was only one question asked of them. General Skywalker’s tentative smile while he asked.

“Did you win?”

The exasperation from Obi-wan and the tone from Anakin had both Captain and Commander laughing. They walked together with light conversation until it came time to split. Skywalker still wasn’t back to his old self but from what they knew happened that day with Sidious neither of them blamed him in the slightest. It was a miracle he was even out with them still. Not anyone could do that, so they would just support them as much as they could. 

Cody and Rex trudged their way back into the barracks. Both studiously ignoring the soft sounds of crying coming from some of the rooms they passed, ignoring the gentle whispers of mandoa that were used to calm other brothers down. They nodded to each other, their looks saying enough that the other understood. They would both give their lives to protect their three Jedi. It didn’t matter thick or thin they would be there. They would protect them no matter what the threat. No one touches their Jedi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:  
> Haalur - Breathe  
> Ner Jetti - My Jedi  
> Kaysh Mirsh Solus - He's an idiot  
> Again I'm sorry this is so late in the day, I should have looked at the calendar and planned better. Next Friday we are back to our regularly scheduled programming but don't let this chapter slip by you fingers. I made sure it still looped with everything else. Please let me know what you all thought in the comments! I hope you had a wonderful first day of the New Year, I'll see you all next week!


	8. Negotiator

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Late in the day because I forgot it was Friday but I promise you guys will get your updates until the end of the story.

**_NOW_ **

Negotiations in the Outer Rim were always something laughable to him, ever since he was a padawan. Obi-wan had taken the chance to bring his old padawan to him as soon as it came up. Anakin would be headed to the front lines at the end of the week regardless of where he was going to be posted so of course he’d requested assistance with the negotiations. The council, luckily, had known better than to ask why the famed Negotiator would want someone who admittedly wasn’t the greatest when it came to finding purely diplomatic solutions. Obi-wan had smiled a little at the thought of the council’s changes in attitude toward him and his padawan, even his padawan’s padawan. 

Before, they had been firm with the three of them. Obi-wan in many of their eyes, was too young when he took Anakin. He’d been knighted and then immediately given a padawan. And though many times through Anakin’s apprenticeship he had thought another master would train him better he realized now that he couldn’t imagine Anakin with anyone else. It may be selfish but it was true. He and Anakin had a special bond that no one else in the order could claim to have. It had saved them multiple times, when Anakin’s determination saved the both of them on missions and then the largest example being when his love had saved him from the death curse that was the Sith. 

He’d been in the mess hall with Cody when the transmission broke through. Every man and droid on the ship heard Sidious’s call to Anakin. Every member of the 212th on board had immediately turned to Obi-wan with the look that told him they wanted to kill the man through the screens and speakers his poisonous voice leaked through. Many of these men had been part of the 212th when Anakin was still a padawan and their commander. Despite being knighted not long into the war there was something about being a padawan that all the troopers seemed to associate with being a child needing protection. 

Which meant that even though Anakin was knighted not long after the war started that many members of the 212th battalion still saw him as their young commander and would disembowel anyone who posed a threat to him. For the clones it didn’t matter that Anakin was now the general of a different legion. It didn’t matter that the 501st was already likely to be raving mad at the news of the new threat. No, Sidious wouldn’t know what hit him.

Cody was the one to keep his rage mostly capped off. But Obi-wan knew his commander well and he could see the rage simmering just under the surface. Cody was just as protective of Anakin as he was for Obi-wan himself. He and Rex were rivals when it came to who was more protective of their Jedi. 

“Sir, your orders?”

Oh how his commander knew him well. Obi-wan and Cody were close. He’d been with him from the very start and now it seemed no matter what happened he would be with him to the very end. Not that either one of them would have it any other way. They made a good team and the 212th relied on them to keep them all safe. 

“These negotiations are important,” He could feel the brewing arguments in the room before any of them ever made their way out into the air between them. Trust his men to want the fight. “But Anakin will need support here. The war could end, and I think we would all like to help it get there.”

It was one thing to say that they were going to leave the negotiations to help end the war, it was another for the entire legion to effectively abandon their posts. While the men weren’t force sensitive Obi-wan could feel the energy of all of them itching for the fight, ready to move and not able to. He needed to speak to the council. He was leaving, that was the end of it. He refused to let Anakin fight Sidious alone. Ahsoka would be there yes, but call it his protective instincts, he was going to be needed there. 

Obi-wan had promised all those years ago to his dying master that he would train and protect Anakin with his life. He would never fight alone, not as long as Obi-wan breathed. 

He took his place at the comms table in his quarters and started up the call. He could only imagine the things that were running through his padawan’s head. At this distance he would have to actively delve into the bond with Anakin in order to get a real sense of what was going on. Right now he could tell that he was physically alright, the light that was his bright force presence still shining and burning against the background of the Force. But he knew as easy as it would be to prod at the bond and get Anakin’s attention his former padawan needed to focus on his family right now. Obi-wan knew Anakin had been spending time with his wife and kids during the week. The chances that the whole family had seen the same thing that he and the 212th had was high. 

He was one of the last masters to join into the meeting, a few others there as holograms other than him and a few empty seats but it was to be expected. They were in a war after all. No one really spoke much, they all knew what the purpose of the meeting was. Not one of them had missed the galaxy shaking events that occured. The longer they had to wait however the more Obi-wan was growing concerned. Anakin had always had the nasty habit of being late to important meetings but when it came to something like this, he was usually on time, if not early. He’d been better at keeping a schedule since he was attempting to be a role model for the twins but Obi-wan supposed those twins were likely the very reason his old apprentice was not standing before the council yet. 

Ahsoka had made it before he did. Again it wasn’t much of a surprise. Obi-wan was greatly proud of his grand-padawan. She had grown so much, there was much of Anakin in her, and in certain ways at certain times he could even see parts of Qui-gon despite her having never met him. Somehow the Force had graced them with his teachings passing on through them. 

When Anakin did arrive Obi-wan noticed what a spectacular job he was doing at hiding his emotions. To anyone else Anakin would simply look slightly on edge, in the way someone is when they need to walk to the front of class to turn in their assignment first. But Obi-wan could see it. He knew his padawan too well not to. He saw the fear and anxiety hidden beneath the surface, he saw the turmoil. He knew how much something like this meant. Which was precisely the reason he refused to let his boy face it alone. 

He only half listened to Yoda asking if Anakin had seen the message. Of course he had. The tenseness in his shoulders, the tightness of his jaw, the hardness in his eyes. Yes Anakin had seen the message. The question was what now. 

“I don’t think I can do anything but go. End this war now.”

Anakin spoke with such finality that Obi-wan was hit with a surge of pride. His child had grown so much over the years. It was hard to reconcile the Anakin standing in front of him now with the same little boy he’d taken as his padawan so many years ago. He remembered walking Anakin around the temple for the first time, showing him where everything was and teaching him all the history he could. He remembered picking him up and walking him to his classes every day. He remembered the shining presence in the Force so eager to learn and full of light. 

It was disconcerting now to see the Masters on the council look anywhere but his former padawan. Obi-wan wasn’t sure what to do, what he could say, they all knew he was biased. He would be the first to admit it. He was attached to Anakin, just as Anakin was attached to him. He put a hand up to rub at his beard. He knew it was a nasty habit but it was more subtle than tapping his fingers on the edge of the chair’s armrest. He also happened to know that it was a sign both Anakin and Ahsoka would watch for, a way for them to know that he was feeling the same things they were, that they weren’t alone. The three of them just pretended not to know the other ones knew. It saved them all some pride. 

Finally, Yoda broke the silence with his blessing. Anakin nodded once before sparing another glance at him. That glance told him everything he needed to know. Masters and their Padawans always knew each other well. You didn’t train someone for years and not learn to read them. But Obi-wan and Anakin had a bond different than any other master and apprentice pair. They used their bond more than anyone else, they left it open to feel each other, to assist the other at any moment. They had nothing but unconditional love and trust and that was all they needed. But in that moment, in that one glance, Obi-wan saw all the worry his young partner had. He saw the silent plea, and if there were any doubts about what needed to be done they were gone in a heartbeat. 

Anakin and Ahsoka left the room in silence. None of the masters speaking, just silently contemplating what had just happened. This was a trap, no way around it, and they had just sent Anakin into its throws. Mace leaned forward in his chair, steepling his hands in front of him and speaking. 

“Sending Skywalker could be a mistake. Sidious has a plan, he almost got him before, what’s to stop him from taking him now?”

Obi-wan had to clamp down on his emotions. They worked around having a very open attachment but he was still a Jedi. He would act like one. 

“Sidious was only able to gain entry before because of the darkness he had rooted in Anakin’s mind. We’ve removed it, it would be significantly harder and even if he did manage it Anakin would realize what was happening this time unlike that horrid night.”

“Your faith in your former padawan may be over exaggerated Obi-wan. You are biased.”

“Biased does not always equal to wrong, Master.”

There was silence in the room as everyone took in the famed negotiator's harsh response. Obi-wan was known for this kind of thing however, and despite the silence and stillness of the room he could feel the tide beginning to turn in his favor. So far he and Anakin had been correct on their changes to the order. This was just another new example.

“What is your suggestion, Master Kenobi?”

Obi-wan nodded to Plo, he knew the keldor was on his side on matters like these. He was just as protective of Ahsoka as he was of Anakin. Neither of them particularly wanted to send their little ones to face against Sidious alone. Especially not with what happened in the past. It wasn’t at all a lack of faith in their skills, just a parental worry for their safety. A just in case. 

“The 212th and I would like to follow Anakin and the 501st. This is a war ending battle, I believe we would be foolish to only send one general and battalion.”

Mace once again leaned forward, a sour look on his face.

“And what of your negotiations Obi-wan? Those are important and you cannot abandon your post for the sake of an attachment. You are being blind to the code.”

“And you, Master Windu, are being blind to the logic here. The 212th and 501st work the best together than any other pair of battalions in the entire Grand Army. This is already likely to be a trap, the Republic would be fools to walk into it with no other method of backup. Would you really sacrifice them like that?”

As soon as he had finished his explanation Plo once again stepped into the conversation. Halting it from getting any more heated than it already was. 

“I will take over the negotiations to allow Master Kenobi to follow his old padawan. With any blessing the war will end after this.”

It was once again silent. Now that Obi-wan was paying attention for it he could easily see how so much of Anakin’s doubt came from the council. Sometimes they were so stubborn to stick to the old ways that it frustrated him to no end. But he couldn’t afford to mess anything up now. Not when he was so close to being able to go after Anakin, not that the council could stop him if they didn’t agree. 

Finally Yoda nodded his consent and Mace leaned back into his chair. Obi-wan gave one last look to Master Plo before nodding and leaving the meeting. His room fell dark without the light of the hologram and he allowed himself one moment to breathe. It wasn’t hard to reach lightly for the Force presence of Anakin. The boy had always been bright in the Force but he hadn’t noticed him dimming gradually over the years. Now that he was cleared of all the darkness Sidious infected him with, Anakin was back to being blindingly bright. A supernova of the Force, almost too bright to look at but a light that Obi-wan would relish in and cherish until the day he died. Maybe even after that. Master Qui-gon had told him from day one that Anakin was the Chosen One. He would be proud of the man that he turned into, Obi-wan just hoped he would be proud of him as well. He missed his master greatly, but that promise had turned to love and now he was praying that his bond with his former padawan would not meet the same fate as his bond with his old master. 

Obi-wan stood and walked over to the door, palming it open only to find Cody waiting outside with Boil just off to his left. The two waiting in stoic silence for their orders that they knew were coming after this meeting. Though their faces were unreadable under their buckets Obi-wan could feel the slight anxiety and hope coming off of both of them. He had to hide his humor at that. People would joke that the 501st were the ones who would disobey protocol and be nothing but pure chaos, that the 212th was nothing if not well behaved. That they followed orders and were peaceful just as the Jedi that led them. But that simply wasn’t true. They were like their Jedi in ways, yes. But that also meant protecting their brothers until their dying breath, even if it meant ignoring orders to do it. 

Cody was the one who spoke first.

“What are our orders General?”

“Tell the men to set course Cody. The 501st will need our help. And we are going to be that help. Master Plo and the 104th will be taking over the negotiations. Our job is to end this war with our brothers at our side.”

He could feel the predatory grin on Cody’s face. Could feel the sinister joy rolling off of Boil. Both the men were ready for the fight and while they both knew he mainly meant Anakin when he said brothers there was also another meaning. Nothing fired up the 212th more than their general leaning on them like family. They would stop at nothing to keep that place with their Jedi. It was something nearly no other Jedi did. The 212th, 501st, and 104th were the only ones willing to burn everything if it meant they could protect the ones they considered one of their own. Their Jedi were most certainly included in that. 

Obi-wan watched them salute and turn away to follow the orders through. He remembered the first time Cody had told him what it meant to be a vod. He remembered the nervousness he had while explaining it to him. As if Obi-wan would be anything other than honored that his troops considered him such. He worked hard to make sure he would not fail them there. That he would protect each of them just as they protected him. Their family was one and now half their family was walking into a trap and they’d been given the go ahead to help.

He made his way to the bridge, watching the golden armor of the 212th hurry around from station to station to make sure their course was set properly before jumping. He could almost feel Anakin mirroring his actions as he stepped to the front before the large viewports. Watching the stars turn to streaks of blue light that signaled they were in hyperspace and feeling the eagerness of the men to fight. He prayed they would make it, prayed the trap wouldn’t take anyone from them. He knew it was foolish but even now, even here, he knew if the trap worked in Sidious’s favor it would not last for long. If even one vod fell on that field there would be hell to pay. Force help whoever got in their way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If it ever gets after 4pm in the day on a Friday and I haven't updated this yet feel free to come yell at me on Instagram @writingice I have up to chapter 16 written right now. The story is here I just tend to forget what day of the week it is haha. Thank you, as always, so much for reading! Please let me know what you thought in the comments, I love hearing all of your feedback it really gives me so much motivation for writing. I'll see you all next week!


	9. The Chosen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so excited for these three chapters, I hope you all enjoy!!!

The sun drifted between the clouds in the sky, casting ominous shadows in the field of tall grass that was destined to hold the end of a war one way or the other. He could see it from the gunship as they all landed and the blue armor of the 501st began taking up their positions in ranks. No; the men hadn’t been happy about it, but they understood the importance of meeting the Separatists head for head. What they hadn’t counted on was the million battle droids forming the enemy ranks. One million versus one battalion. The dark lord of the Sith against the Jedi’s Chosen One. One Sith versus one Jedi. Though, as Anakin looked back to his padawan, no one knew about that part of his plan yet. 

It was quiet in their gunship. Rex, Jesse, and Kix were the only ones riding with them. They were the only ones left at this point. Echo had fought to bring the bad batch along to help out but Anakin told him no. It had been a hard conversation but in the end he and the rest of the Bad Batch stayed behind to watch the end live with the rest of the known galaxy. No one wanted to speak here. They all knew there was no backing out, they all knew they were walking into a trap. They all knew there was nothing they could do but spring it and they all hated it. It would be pointless to try to ‘suade anyone to leave, they knew it was. None of them would abandon anyone else in the ship. That was the end of it. So they opted for silence as the ground came nearer and nearer. 

Right until the ship landed in the tall grass and the doors slid open to let them feel the warm breeze. The planet and area truly could have been considered beautiful if it weren’t for the droids. As they had neared the surface Ahsoka and Anakin both picked up on the dark presence.  _ He was there, waiting, just like always.  _ Sidious was a predator stalking his prey. And this time he knew he had his prize trapped. 

Not one droid moved as the 501st took their positions. There were already cameras floating in the air around the battlefield, already broadcasting and showing the odds. The posturing for cameras was another thing that remained from his tenure as Chancellor. As they approached the front lines Anakin felt like he was going to suffocate. Sidious’s presence was so dark, an all consuming evil. And the moment he’d sensed Anakin’s own bright presence he was fighting to get in. Ahsoka caught the slight tremor in his hand and brushed against his shields. He left them up for both her and Obi-wan so they aren't hearing all his thoughts or feeling all his emotions, but other than that their bonds were open. Free for any member of their trio to reach the other at any given moment. He smiled at her but watching all of his men with the knowledge that this may be the last time he gets to, he sent out a silent prayer to the force that he would be able to protect all of them. 

Rex and Jesse took their places right behind their General and Commander, Kix stepping into rank just behind them. He was close, just in case. Not one of them was fooled into thinking this would end nicely. The gap between the two armies was covered in hovering cameras but despite the sounds of war that all of them had grown accustomed to, this battlefield was silent. 

Until of course the battle droids began to part ways for a dark robed figure. Sidious. Hood up, arms crossed into his sleeves. The troopers couldn’t sense the force but they saw how their Jedi tensed up as he got closer. His eyes never seemed to leave Anakin’s form as he walked calmly to the center of the gap. Like this wasn’t a massive event to end the war that terrorized the galaxy. Like this wasn’t world ending for countless people. 

_ This is it.  _ Anakin could feel the anxiety from all his men. He could feel the darkness sweeping around the field, he could feel Ahsoka’s worry, he could feel his own fear. The cameras were on him now. Patiently watching, waiting for him to take the steps to meet Sidious in the center of the gap. His thoughts drifted back to his family. Obi-wan was sure to be watching this, he could feel him brushing against his shields gently, not to distract but to offer support. Padme and the twins were watching too. Though they weren’t skilled enough to sense him still at this distance. He liked it that way, if he died they wouldn’t feel the abrupt snuffing of his presence. Ahsoka and all his men were going to have front row seats to it. He couldn’t lose any of them. His decision was only reinforced by everything that had happened. It had to be this way. He turned to Ahsoka, her bright eyes looking up at him, expecting anything but what came out of his mouth. 

“Stay here.”

“What?”

She wasn’t going to like this.  _ Dammit she’s too much like me.  _

“He only called for me. If you go up with me he could use it against us. That we didn’t fight fair. That we’re liars and cheats.”

“Master he’s manipulating you-”

He leaned down to hug her. Whispering into her ear so no one would hear what he said other than her. 

“I need to know someone will protect them if I fail.”

Her struggles stopped. He felt the pain and panic flare up from her. Knew that she wanted to do anything she possibly could to make sure this never happened.  _ So much like me.  _ He knew if he was in her position there was nothing in the galaxy that could stop him from helping Obi-wan. But he had raised her to be better than him. And she made him so proud every time she proved that she was. He pulled away from the hug, looking her in the eyes and wishing he could stop the tears welling up that she couldn’t hold back. 

“Protect them. All of them.”

She nodded, too unsure to use her voice. Rex placed a hand on her shoulder and nodded to him as well.  _ This is it.  _ Anakin steeled himself. Nodded to his loyal captain, spared one more glance to all of his men and gave them a collective nod before turning and facing the dark stain that had been pushing at him the entire time. Finally, he took the first step.

Palpatine’s mirth was immediate. The cameras hovered into a circle around them, capturing the coming fight and interaction from every angle. His family was watching. He had to do this. The council, the Republic, every innocent that he’d ever fought to protect everyone was watching this. Waiting to see what the fate of the galaxy would be. He could imagine Luke and Leia excited to watch him fight, imagine Padme’s worried expression and Obi-wan’s concentrated one. He only stopped his movement seven feet away. Watching the man he’d once trusted with no emotion on his face. He didn’t want to imagine the worry Ahsoka or Obi-wan would feel when he put the final piece into play. He could only hope Rex kept Ahsoka from running out to get him. 

“Anakin my dear boy, well, I’m surprised you came!” 

Anger was pooling in his stomach at the words from this monster. His family was under constant threat with him out there. The whole galaxy was, he’d had no choice but to come. A scowl settled onto his face but Sidious just kept going. 

“Not really, I suppose, you would always come running with your dear Padme in danger wouldn’t you.”

He had to fight to stay calm. Hearing his wife’s name from this monster’s mouth led him to too much of a reaction. The force was stewing around them, broiling up for the massive conflict that was about to happen. This was all just foreplay compared to what was coming. He refused to be used again. Refused to be made into a puppet. He was going to finish this. 

“I’m here to end the war. To finish what you started.”

“Yes and the Jedi may thank you but they would never praise you. Not like you would deserve. None of them are even here with you. Your Jedi council has abandoned you to die at my hand.”

He could feel the darkness coming for him before it reached. And finally the last piece fell into place. His shields slammed closed. Shutting out everyone and everything he could to try to protect himself from Sidious. If there was any opening, even one flooded with light, he would manipulate it, use it. And Anakin would never allow that. Not again. 

“Freeing the galaxy from war is all the praise I need.”

“I could give you it all.”

The circling started then. The predator stalking its prey, much like Anakin had all those years ago in the office. Anakin started to move as well, never give your back to your opponent. But a lesson from Obi-wan was nudging at him in addition to all his battle experience. Don’t unleash your saber until you have to, force your opponent to make the first move. Don’t be reckless. He wanted to make Sidious uneven. Wanted to push him. He wasn’t going to let him talk him into the corner. Not again. 

“I will not break to you.”

“If you kill me, those droids open fire on your men. All of them will die. But if you swear your allegiance to me then the war will end and none of them will have to die.”

“If I swear to fall then you will make me kill them. The galaxy has had its fill of your lies Sidious.  _ I  _ have had my fill.”

The look in his eyes was all the warning Anakin had that Sidious was about to strike. He moved fast enough that he didn’t even see him reach for the saber hilt, just saw the red blade shooting out. But lucky for him Anakin was fast too. He moved for his own blade the moment he saw the look change. Just a little more, knock him off his script.

“I coddled you all those years for you to spit it in my face.”

He couldn’t resist the urge to smirk. This was a show after all, and he wasn’t the Republic’s cocky Hero With No Fear for nothing, even if that title was far from the truth.

“If you want your revenge you’ll have to kill me.”

“Careful what you wish for boy. The revenge of the Sith is not something to take lightly.”

“Prove it.”

Lightning was his answer. Bringing up his blade to block it, the fight had officially started. They were blurs of movement on the screens across the galaxy. Meeting blow for blow Anakin was using every bit of combat knowledge he’d gained in his life now. Going strong and fighting back. He could imagine his kids on the floor in front of the holo, cheering on all his moves. Could picture Padme’s worried expression that every blur of a saber could be the end of him. He tried to push the thoughts out of his mind but he knew it was happening. He could feel the agony his men were in that their General was fighting for his life and the life of the galaxy so close and yet they weren’t able to help him. Any one of these moves could be his last. He could die at any moment and everyone watching knew it. 

A hush fell over the galaxy, a breath waiting to be exhaled. Everyone watching to see the fate that would fall upon them with the victor of this battle. Anakin dodged fast to the right, breaking the pattern he’d set himself in. He moved to strike before Sidious could adjust and managed to get a glancing hit over his ribs. The oncoming strike was fast and dangerous though and Anakin had to flip himself out of the way of the crimson blade. They were once again at their starting distance, the grass matted into a battling circle around them. Each Republic citizen was about to breathe easy that their defender survived the first part of the battle, until they saw him stumble. A grimace on his face as he backed away from the Sith and blinked fast before shaking his head. Sidious lunged again, Anakin just barely getting his saber up in time to block the blow that would have sliced him right down the middle otherwise. 

Padme, Ahsoka, Obi-wan, and each trooper knew what just happened. They knew Palpatine had attempted to force Anakin. Their collective concern doubled at the fact that it caused enough of a disruption to make Anakin stumble. Did they miss a bit of darkness in the meditation. Was there still a foothold? With his shields still up there wasn’t a way for Ahsoka or Obi-wan to reinforce him. 

Unknown to Anakin, Padme and the kids had seen every moment of that. Had watched Sidious nearly end his life, had seen him stumble. The thing was, they didn’t see him ever get hit. And the twins were both inquisitive children.

“What’s wrong with Daddy?”

Two pairs of eyes stared right up to Padme. She didn’t know how to explain this to them. Anakin was always the one who handled Force conversations with them. But she knew they needed to understand just what they were watching. Force forbid anything happened to Anakin here they needed to know that it wasn’t their father’s fault. 

“Daddy’s fighting really hard right now. Do you remember your lessons from the temple? About how dangerous the dark is?”

Both Luke and Leia nodded to her. On the screen Anakin was dodging hits left and right, spinning and flipping and blocking. Red darting in with the intent to kill and her dear husband with just his blue to protect him. 

“Right now Sidious is trying to influence your dad with the dark.”

Both of them gaped at her, Leia breaking first with her worry clear on her face.

“Daddy’s going to be a sith?”

Luke saw his sister’s fear and clamped down on his own. It may only be a matter of seconds but he was the older brother and he was going to keep her happy if he could. He closed his mouth and glared at Sidious through the screen. 

“He’s going to fight him. Daddy will win. He always wins.”

Padme, knowing how much that wasn’t true, just didn’t have the heart to tell them. Anakin had told her once that belief was half the battle. If their blind faith that he would win somehow helped him survive this then she would take it. Hit after hit, twist after twist. Anakin was locked in the dance of death and no matter what his family couldn’t help him. Luke kept his eyes on the screen, watching, hoping, praying to the force that his dad would come home. 

“Fight him Daddy, fight him.”

Red and blue clashed together, powerful forces slamming against one another in a violent fight for dominance. And the galaxy watched. Obi-wan stood with his arms crossed in front of a screen watching the death match with several of his men behind him. Watching for the outcome of the war that had defined so many of their lives. The galaxy watched. Diners fell hushed while listening to the radios or watching the holo screens in the corners. No one dared to speak and interrupt the battle. The galaxy watched. The streets of Coruscant fell silent like many of the other Republic and Separatist worlds. Leader against Hero. 

On Kamino every troop sat huddled around a holo, watching, hoping, praying to whatever was out there that would listen that the war would end then. It wasn’t that they were afraid to fight, they didn’t want any more people to die in a war that seemed it would last for forever. In the Jedi temple no one made a sound. Classes all took favor of watching the historic moment. Younglings gathered around watching the famed Jedi fight against the evil of the Sith. Jedi Knights and Masters alike sat together to see the fate that was held in this battle. There had been wars against the Sith in the past and yet this single fight seemed to weigh more than any of them. 

The Jedi council watched with minimal emotion on their face. Those that did show anything only showing the pensiveness that came with watching someone else fight for your future. A single thought was running through several of their minds. 

All those years ago, Master Jinn had brought a scared nine year old boy into their temple. Told them all that he was the Chosen One and they had refused to train him. The Force had seemed to make it so that Anakin would be trained but even then there were still several who believed the Chosen One was someone else, someone who wouldn’t ever do many of the things young Skywalker did. The Force was stronger with him than many others, but did it make him the Chosen One? Would the same scared nine year old they refused to train be able to be their salvation here? For the first time in a long time, there was doubt in the old Masters. 

A knock at the door pulled Padme reluctantly away from the screen, keeping her eyes on it and glancing back to it every couple of seconds just to make sure her Ani was alright. When the door opened she found Bail standing on the other side, a nervous look on his face but she understood. He was there for support. Both of them knew how important this fight was for not only the family but the Republic. And should anything happen they were family, they would support each other. Bail was not about to let his long time friend suffer through this alone. So they watched. 

The galaxy watched. Families gathered around each other. Parents pulling their children close and watching the battle. For many in the Republic they had been saved by the Jedi, some even personally by Anakin himself. And though he would never know it, hundreds of thousands were praying and hoping for his safety in this final battle. The families watched. 

And the galaxy watched. Waited. Patiently observing to see who would win the bloody battle. Who would end the war that tormented so many. The galaxy watched. They all watched. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I already can't wait to post next week. I hope you all enjoyed it!! Please let me know what you think in the comments! Thank you all so much for reading and I will see you next Friday!!


	10. The Fall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was so excited to post this chapter. I'm already excited to post 11. I hope you enjoy!!

The patterns were easy. Fighting was always something easy. In the beginning it could be frightening but after so many times, after so much history, so many past battles. His saber hilt felt molded to his hand. His kyber crystal singing in sync with him and with the force swirling around the gap in the field. Lunge, dodge, strike, turn. Over and over again the dance continued. Every moment there was a strike of a saber or a crack of lightning and all the while there was a darkness edging at his mind. Trying to break through his shielding, trying to turn him against his will. He didn’t have time to sense Obi-wan or Ahsoka but he knew that the worry they were feeling was extreme. He knew his old master would not take the absence of his presence lightly. He could imagine it now, Obi-wan with a hand over his beard already thinking up the lecture he’d give when he got to see him again. 

It was a small lapse. A reach for his master on nothing but instinct but it was more than enough for Sidious. Anakin only realized too late. He felt the dark beginning to rush in and brought his blade up to block the incoming strike at the same time he slammed his shields back into place.  _ Careless, reckless, stupid. _ The pressure of their blades forced the two away from each other, once again to their starting distance but with the moment to breathe Anakin realized what his moment of dropped guard meant for him. He felt the dark swirling, felt it spinning and prying and picking. He felt the cold seeping through him and he felt like he’d drown if he didn’t do something. 

The fear coursed through his body at the thought, his children could see this, his men, Obi-wan, Padme. All of them could see this.  _ They’re going to watch me die.  _ He stumbled, back peddling away from the all consuming darkness that focused on him once again. His body was shaking from fighting back, he felt like he couldn’t breathe. It was happening again. But this time he wasn’t going to be saved. He stumbled again, reaching for his head and trying in vain to ease the pain of Sidious crashing full force against his shields waiting for the weak point to arrive. He couldn’t reach out, he couldn’t grasp for help this time, if he tried he would die. Of course, Sidious laughed.

“You are weak Skywalker.”

“Stop.”

He didn’t. Not that Anakin ever thought he would. He just kept going, pushing on the weak spots he knew were there.

“You couldn’t save your mother, any of the other slaves. You failed!”

It felt like his head was being ripped apart. Every doubt, every fear. Was this the true power of the Sith? They’d removed all the darkness; it shouldn’t be this easy. Or maybe he was doomed to fall from the start. Maybe he was supposed to give in. Maybe he was supposed to give up.

A mental image of Obi-wan stopped him. His children. His wife, his padawan, his men. All of them were counting on him. All of them needed him still he was not about to let this happen. It was a trick, all of it was a trick. He could  _ do _ this. 

“Stop!”

“The Jedi never trusted you. They always knew you would fall.”

He remembered Yoda refusing to train him. Remembered Qui-gon’s steadying hand on his shoulder. Remembered Obi-wan’s teasing and looks. But he also remembered how Obi-wan saved him. Remembered all the laughs they had, remembered the hugs and holds. He wasn’t going to let him down. Obi-wan trusted him, Ahsoka trusted him. Luke, Leia, they trusted him. He was going to keep that trust. He refused to fall. Even if there was a bit of truth to the things Sidious was saying. 

Obi-wan reached for his old student. The ship wasn’t moving fast enough but it seemed it wasn’t only him that was thinking that as Cody began shouting out orders to make them go faster. Obi-wan could see the shields, feel them up. Like this he couldn’t sense him, he could see him fine on the holo screen before him but he couldn’t reach out. Couldn’t help him like last time. He could only pray the Force protected its son. It was like a dagger through his heart when he heard the wound Sidious pulled next.

“A master who never wanted you and only saw a burden. I would want you!”

Despite it all Anakin couldn’t deny the way that cut him. A whimper tore its way out of his throat as he doubled forward. Everyone could see the pain he was in. And even if it didn’t make sense to the one’s not in tune with the force they could tell that it was an attack from the past Chancellor. Another push from Sidious sent Anakin crumbling to his knees. The pants of his tunics crunching into the matted grass, seeping in the mud and chilling him even further. He wasn’t going to make it like this. He needed to do something. So with a great deal of effort he reinforced the shields everywhere but his two closest bonds. Both his training bonds opened and Anakin had to restrain a gasp at the light that came from both of them. 

Ahsoka flinched at the onslaught of pain her master was in. Rex looked her over in concern but saw the focused and determined look she took on right after. Something else was happening and he would just have to trust his Jedi that it would be alright in the end. It wasn’t a hard task. Not for any of the men in the 501st, they loved their Jetiise unconditionally. Obi-wan tensed when the bond opened but he knew what it meant. It meant Anakin didn’t think he could fight anymore, and that was something that simply wasn’t true and Obi-wan would not let him think for a moment longer. Both of them immediately flooded their bonds with Anakin with nothing but affection, love and light. They were there for him. Always. Obi-wan was the one to send a thought like a hug to his former student. 

_ “Fight him Anakin. You’re stronger than him. He’s lying to you, don’t listen.” _

__ Ahsoka wanted to run to him. To go and help him battle off the monster that was attacking him. To guard him while he was down. Sure it was the master’s job to protect their padawan but what good was a padawan who just lets their master die. Rex put a hand on her shoulder to stop her and for one brief moment she was ready to yell at him. Ready to lash out because how could he just stand there while Anakin was being attacked like this. How could he possibly want to stop her from helping him. It was only when she turned to face him, glare on her face, that she noticed he wasn’t looking at her. He was watching into the middle of the field frozen like he was watching something he didn’t understand but was mesmerized by all the same. 

She felt it then. The wind picking up, swerving between troopers and rushing towards the gap between the two armies. She turned to watch but the scene hadn’t changed. Anakin still had his back to them, still was hunched forward on himself. The cameras were still hovering on every angle but something about Sidious’s stance was different. Something about Anakin’s was too. He wasn’t arched like he was in pain, the trembling seemed to have stopped but he wasn’t standing back up. More like he stayed because that was simply the last position he’d been in. The wind was beginning to howl now, screeching alongside with the Force. Sidious wasn’t laughing anymore instead he had a look of disgust and almost- Ahsoka had to cut herself off. Sidious almost looked startled. 

Anakin felt calm. The light from the bonds allowed him enough time to focus on the Force. To breathe correctly, to burn out the darkness and reinforce his shielding. Only this time he left his bonds open. He realized now that it was foolish of him to repeat the mistake that love could be a weakness. His love was his greatest strength and it had saved him once again. So for everyone watching, every man, every woman, every child; he was ending this. 

Sidious moved to throw lightning at him. It was like he could feel it in every nerve of his body. He hadn’t even lifted his head to look at him yet but it didn’t matter. The Force was here, it was with him and he was one with it. He didn’t pause in his movement when the lightning was thrown he just raised a hand and stopped it. A move that only Master Yoda himself had been known to make and one he certainly wasn’t trained in. 

The galaxy seemed to still again. Something big was happening. Something most couldn’t understand but some could feel. There was a change, a ripple through the very fabric of the universe. Obi-wan barely heard the announcement that they were coming out of hyperspace. He was more focused on his boy on screen. The move he’d done was something so advanced only one member of the order was able to do it and even then it took great skill and concentration. Anakin hadn’t even looked when he caught the lightning. 

Anakin lifted his head. Glared at the monster that had ruined and taken so many lives and then it clicked for everyone. The Force was spinning, screaming in joy, and amplifying louder to every Force sensitive. This was it then. The awakening of the Chosen One. The whole scene seemed to change before their eyes. The grass whipping every which way howling between troopers and droids alike. The clouds began to turn, spinning, and only after the first few moments did they realize it wasn’t just the clouds that were turning, it was the planet. The amount of power oozing off of the Force’s favorite was blinding. The strength he possessed. It was why Sidious wanted him so, and it was why he would never have him. He raised himself out of his crouched position, rose fully to look Sidious dead in the eye. Everyone could tell then, Force sensitive or not, something had changed in the Republic’s hero. 

Sidious saw it too. He snarled, reaching for his saber and bringing it up to strike down at the Jedi. But with the lift of his hand Anakin caught him in the Force. Froze him in place and something hardened in his expression. A calm stony face. Sidious had never seen his prize look this way. He hadn’t been prepared for it. 

“Enough!”

Just like all those years ago when the Jedi had stood on Mortis. Caught in the middle of an arena with the light and the dark fighting for his allegiance. Anakin’s voice had changed. Echoing with the power of the Force itself behind it. Ahsoka closed her eyes against his light. He was so bright, there were times before, that she remembered him being too bright to look at but this was different. Instead of being just him it was like the Force itself was brighter. Fueled by him and fueling him, like he was the Force itself. She’d always been taught that a Jedi was the Force made physical. It had never made much sense, not until now. 

Sidious writhed in his iron grip. This wasn’t how it was meant to be, he was supposed to win. The Chosen One was meant to fall. Instead he found himself feeling like a foolish child again with Plagueis glaring down at him. The cameras kept rolling showing everyone in the galaxy exactly what was happening. Everyone was paying attention. There was only one thing that mattered right at this moment and it was them, what would happen. Anakin took another step forward, his voice still echoing and moving with the backing and protection of the Force. 

“This ends.  _ Tonight.” _

The Force released something akin to a growl with his last word. Picking up and feeding on his emotions, his life. The Jedi’s Chosen One. Another ripple flashed out to each Force sensitive. On Coruscant every Jedi master came to a conclusion at once. There was no denying it any longer. No doubts about who it was they were watching. Anakin Skywalker was the Chosen One. There had been enough evidence in the past but they were foolish and ignored it. Now, with the entire Force resonating in his presence. All of it at his fingertips and the strength that he held. There was no doubt. 

Padme leaned forward in her seat, Bail mirroring the action to her left. She could see both the children still at the way her husband’s words were echoing in the air. She wasn’t Force sensitive and she knew at this distance that her kids could not feel him and yet she saw both of them react to the change.    
“Luke? Leia?”

“Daddy’s in the force.”

And while Luke had whispered it so calmly something in Padme’s stomach dropped. Anakin had explained it to her before, or at the least he tried to. She knew that when someone said they were one with the force it meant death. To hear her little boy say his father was in the force while watching Anakin stand and breathe and speak on the screen was something else. Anakin was alive. That was certain, but what did this all mean. The change in his stance, the change to his voice. All of it, what did it mean?

“Leia?”

“Mommy, Daddy is the force.”

Bail turned to look at her. Seeing Padme frozen like that staring at her children before looking back to the screen. He had known Anakin for years. Being good friends with Obi-wan since he was a padawan of course he knew Anakin. He had met and known many Jedi through his years but never once had he ever seen something like this. To hear them refer to Anakin as the Force itself. It was something else. 

Padme could feel her heart beating in her chest. Could feel the fear running through her veins. She wanted to be happy. Anakin was alright. But the way everything was happening right now something just felt wrong. Like this was the start of a cascade that she should be trying desperately to stop and yet she wasn’t. She couldn’t. So instead she clasped her hands in front of her face and she watched. Praying to anything that could hear her if the Force had taken her husband that it would give him back. She could only watch, watch and pray. So she did; and the galaxy watched with her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so excited for next week already!!! So much happened just now. How are you all feeling? What's gunna happen? What is going on with Anakin? Thank you all so much for reading! I really hope you enjoyed it and just like the rest of the galaxy we are all watching. Please let me know what you thought in the comments they honestly make my entire soul happy! I'll see you all next week with chapter 11 and I'm so excited to post!!


	11. Scream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tadaa! the chapter we've all been waiting for! The chapter that gives the story its name. I am so so so excited for this to be read. I really hope you all enjoy it!!!!!

Obi-wan was running with Cody and a few others right at his side. Four squads of the 212th were headed down to the surface of the grassy planet below them. It was clear that what was happening now was a major turning point. Obi-wan had nothing but faith in his old padawan. He was only afraid of what these changes would mean for him and he was not about to let him face it all alone. It was a promise he made years ago, that he would always be at Anakin’s side. No matter what. And he did not intend to lose that streak now.  _ Anakin,  _ he kept his eyes on the small holo-screen in the gunship. Not one of them was willing to miss a single second of this.  _ I’m on my way Padawan, I’m on my way.  _

__ Sidious tried to fight. Tried being the keyword of it all. He pressed back with his own might against the grip Skywalker had on him. Reached for his saber and lunged to strike out at him. But Anakin did not so much as flinch. He watched, cold disdain painting over his features while he tightened his hold on Palpatine’s body and ripped the blood red saber from his hand. He looked at it for a moment, considering, thoughtful, before he snapped the hilt in half with the force and tossed it away from them like it was nothing more than a trivial toy. Sidious could feel the echo of his crystal but before he had time to do anything about it he saw Skywalker’s blue eyes settle back on him. 

He watched the emotionless expression turn into a glare. Watched the fire he was accustomed to reignite in his eyes. Before it looked like he was fighting the Force itself, now though, now it was Skywalker. And if there was one thing Sidious knew how to do it was manipulate Anakin Skywalker. He just needed to bide his time. Even as the Jedi’s anger continued to grow and he clenched his fist forcing Sidious down with his words.

“ _ On. Your. Knees _ .”

The Force still echoed out his words. Still rang with his presence. But Sidious could use this. He could break him. He could turn the entire Force dark. One look was spared to Anakin’s saber still ignited and gripped securely in his hand. A brief thought flashed through his mind of that blade turning red. He had to get there. He would. And now was his chance. 

“What will you do now Skywalker? Killing an unarmed man is hardly the Jedi way. Kill me and you fall! The galaxy will watch you take my place in the dark.”

He watched Anakin pause, saw the conflict flit over his face. So he kept going.

“But you would know all about that wouldn’t you. You’ve killed unarmed people before. Count Dooku you could explain as a war effort but you’d cut his hands off. Had him at your mercy on his knees like I am now and you cut off his head. What about the village of Tusken raiders? You’ve killed them all. You can hardly call yourself the Republic’s hero!”

It was small, but there was a flinch. If he could pull the boy out of his alignment with the Force he could strike him down while he was unbalanced. The clones wouldn’t stand a chance against his droids. He could see the troopers parting ways. See the Jedi that thwarted his initial plan reach the front and his disdain grew. He’d have to act quickly.

“You can feel their fear Anakin. They fear your power. They always will! Show them your anger, show them your rage and seal your fate! Come with me! You feel how strong you are. I can give you more!”

He hesitated. Ahsoka and Obi-wan both were on edge, torn between watching and offering silent support or running to help him. In all reality they weren’t sure what would happen if they were to startle him by running up at this point. The Force was thrumming in a way it had never done before. It was changed, the fact that the change was from him was undeniable. 

The Force was singing around him, around every being there. Anakin tilted his head back, closing his eyes despite the situation he was in. Shutting out the battlefield, the sky, the million droids, the echos of all his men, Sidious himself. He blocked it all out. Let it sink away and let the Force wrap around him even more than it had before. Fusing himself with it until nothing else felt like it mattered. And then he dropped the shields. 

Obi-wan and Ahsoka stumbled. Cody and Rex had to reach out and steady them but they felt it. The pure force. They felt Anakin, they felt his light, his shadows. They felt it all. And stars, was it beautiful. They could feel it the way Anakin did and both of them had to wonder if this was how he sensed it all the time. It wasn’t the tampered way the Jedi said it to be. It wasn’t the wild chaos the Sith always rumored it to feel. No. Instead it was pure, beautiful, ordered but with a flare that could not be contained. It was colors and life and death and emptiness all rolled into one. It was everything, all at once. Finally they could see every bond the force had. It was common sense for them that the Force tied everything together but it was another thing to feel it. To sense it so deeply they could feel it resonating in their bones; to borderline taste it. 

Both of them dropped their shields. Opening the bonds and letting the Force flow between them and Anakin completely unrestrained. An echo of a shadow flitted across from his end of the bond. Showing both of them that he didn’t know what to do. He didn’t know what was right. But there was no right choice in this situation. No true one anyways. Sidious had not lied this time, killing an unarmed person was not the Jedi way. But someone like this, Master Windu at least would argue that he was too dangerous to be left alive. So in the end both Master and Apprentice made the choice they knew they would always make. To believe in whatever Anakin did. They chose him. Sending back along the bond affection and trust. Letting him know that whatever happened they would both stand at his side. 

The battlefield felt empty. The only sound being the rustling of grass and the whistle of the wind. The energy hadn’t dropped an ounce but Anakin’s eyes remained closed. Sidious remained watching, frozen in the grip of a man who wasn’t even looking at him. It was like the galaxy had taken in a collective breath and held it. Refusing to breathe and shatter the silence that had taken over everything. 

The council chamber was silent. Each one of them watching intently to what would happen. Yoda had a smile on his face, despite all of the seriousness he had a smile. He had harbored concerns on some days through the early years of the war. That young Skywalker would follow the same path as his own padawan, Dooku. That he would fall to the dark, join against the Jedi and leave, just like Dooku had done so many years before. He remembered looking at his grand-padawan and great grand-padawan. Telling them that the boy they’d brought before the council could not be trained but in all reality he was just wanting to keep Qui-gon from feeling that loss. And then Qui-gon had died. Resting Anakin with his great-grand padawan and another was added to the line. Now he was looking at the descendants of his line and he felt pride. The force would smile on them. Qui-gon had been right, and he would be so proud of his boys, now men, out on that field. 

If Luke and Leia got any closer to the screen Padme would worry they were trying to climb through it to the battlefield. No one spoke in the home. Bail kept a watch on the screen and on Padme. He knew something was bothering her. He couldn’t shake that he was also concerned. Neither one of them wanted to question what the children had meant earlier, but now everything was so still on the screen and they didn’t know what was going to happen. Anakin had to make a choice here. One that would change everything. 

Sidious kept his eyes locked on the boy before him. Despite being forced on his knees, weaponless and unable to move. He still felt he had the upper hand. The Anakin he knew was weak, foolish, easy to be tricked and naive. He had spent years weaving a web of darkness into the boy’s mind and not all of it would be able to be found. He didn’t believe Anakin to have faith in Jedi anymore. He still felt he had owned him. So when Anakin opened his eyes again. When he looked down at the monster crumpled before him with nothing but resolve in his blue eyes. Only then did Sidious begin to believe all those visions the force had shown him had been lies. That this was the way it would end instead. 

Anakin’s voice was soft, carried by the echoing of the force behind it. Reaching to Sidious’s ears and every man of the 501st and 212th on the ground. Lifted to the cameras so all the known galaxy would hear the soft damnation the Chosen One delivered. 

“You have been tried and found guilty of the tragedy known as the Clone Wars.”

Sidious struggled again against the grip only to be met with the force tightening around him like a vice. Anakin moved again, saber held to his side, blue blade glowing brighter by the moment to match the shade of his eyes. The power he held was unimaginable and yet he stood there. Above his kneeling victim and suddenly Palpatine realized something. He was no longer the hunter. He was the prey. For the first time in years he felt his own fear itching in his veins. 

“You are found guilty of countless acts of senseless murder.” 

Anakin’s voice gained power as he spoke, conviction thrumming through him, the Force whipping around him to make him look like some sort of deity as he stood there. The grass bending out of the way of his feet like it wasn’t holy enough to touch him. 

“Treason against those you had sworn to protect.”

He stopped less than a foot away. Looking down at the monster that had threatened his life, his family, his home. Once upon a time Anakin would have raged at the thought of someone hurting him. But now he knew better. Now he had no sympathy for the fear in the man’s eyes. His voice hardened like steel, his eyes burning brighter than any star. The Force ringing around them silencing everything but the words he spoke.

“To let you live would be to kill them myself.”

Sidious moved to argue. Opened his mouth to maybe beg for his life but he wasn’t given the chance. Anakin had had enough of his words, the galaxy had had enough. Anakin’s saber plunged through Palpatine's chest like it was the easiest thing in the world. He showed no emotion even as Sidious choked and died on the blade. His saber burned a hole through his black heart. When Anakin pulled it out Sidious fell forward, a puppet with its strings cut. The sound of his saber shutting off the only sound as he stepped away from the body, one step closer to his men. 

The galaxy was silent. Even the Force made no noise, still rushing around everything but silenced. No more howling, no more screeching, just silence. A hush to let everyone see what truly happened. Their decided fate. One moment of silence before the deafening click.

The whir of a million battle droids and the click of one million blasters aimed directly at the battalion standing across the gap. Looking closer it wasn’t even the clone army they aimed at. Every blaster pointed directly to a single target in the middle of the field surrounded by cameras stood with a saber hilt in his grasp and a corpse at his feet. Everyone had been so focused on the battle between The Dark Lord and The Chosen One that they had forgotten about the looming threat Sidious had given at the beginning of the battle. 

_ “If you kill me, those droids open fire on your men. All of them will die. But if you swear your allegiance to me then the war will end and none of them will have to die.” _

__ The trap of course had been true. No one was fooled into thinking this was anything other than a death trap. But it was one that Anakin refused to let his family fall into. He had fought with his men for years. The 501st wasn’t a borderline cult for nothing. They would do anything for their General, just as he would do anything for them. 

Every troop moved at the sound of the droids movement. Reaching for their blasters and ready to charge. General Kenobi and Commander Tano reaching for their own sabers and prepared to give the order to charge until they felt the Force race past them. Like a sucking vacuum the energy around them all pooled into the middle of the gap and Ahsoka quickly threw up the signal to hold. Her eyes locked back onto her master instead of the battle droids. 

Only then did she see his raised hands. His saber hilt still cradled between his thumb and palm, the Force whipping past him and out to every droid. Coiling around each of the million pieces of death and metal and wrapping them tight. Nothing would beat the focused glare on Anakin’s face. Nothing would ever beat the scene playing out before them as he let out a strangled cry and clenched his fists and threw his arms down. Every single one of the million battle droids crushing and flattening themselves into the ground with the same arc of his arms. Leaving nothing behind but flattened parts of sparking metal half buried in the dirt. 

The galaxy breathed again. The final battle of the Clone Wars and not a single blaster shot was fired. Cheers erupted everywhere, the tyranny of Darth Sidious finally at an end. The war was over and they had their Hero to thank. Families at home cheering and clapping, celebrating the relief that washed over them seeing it finally end. Luke and Leia whooping with joy seeing their father’s feat. Padme crying tears of joy that it was all finally over. That he had made it, that he’d come home to them. Bail put a hand on her shoulder and she laughed. It felt like a dream, all of it was finally over. They were all safe. 

The battlefield exploded in cheers. The joy of war torn soldiers flooding everywhere that they wouldn’t have to watch another brother fall to this war. That finally they could all be free to see the peace that their Jedi had spoken so fondly of. 

The Force wrapped itself around its son like a gentle hug. For a while now it had been flooding him and powering him in ways that no other being could ever possibly imagine. The darkness was gone, the weight finally lifted and the war was over. He could feel the joy radiating across the universe. Sense the pure happiness from all of his men and he smiled. It was over. He wanted to laugh but his chest felt tight. He could feel the Force tugging at him trying to console his body but he realized belatedly what he had done. His vision was already blurring, filling with black spots while his limbs seemed to shake like he’d been electrocuted yet again. He heard it before he felt it. The gentle tapping of something wet hitting the ground. Anakin allowed his gaze to fall down to the grass beneath him. Matted, dirty, crushed. He felt a wave of guilt for it. After being so tied to the unified and living force for so long there was a special kind of bond he felt with everything around him. Like he was part of it all in one way or another. It took him a few moments to get his blurring eyes to focus on the details. To see the red liquid staining the tips of the green brown grass. Another few more for his sluggish brain to register that it was blood and that it was coming from his nose. 

The Force was feeling like water, pulsing around him like waves. Or maybe it was sand, slipping through his fingers despite how hard he tried to grasp at it for balance. He didn’t very much like sand, he liked the Force. The comparisons were making his head spin. He wanted to throw up. He didn’t feel good. Everything felt too far away, too difficult to grasp, to maintain. He felt the wind tousle his hair like an affectionate parent and in that moment he just wanted Obi-wan. 

Obi-wan would make the pain go away. He’d hold him and hush him and tell him it was alright. That he’d done alright that he was safe. His lungs didn’t feel like they were expanding anymore. The Force was screaming but he couldn’t see for what. He didn’t think he had the strength to fight another fight. Not after what he’d just done. Dimly he thought his heart was slowing down. Maybe he needed to sit down, maybe even lie down. It would be alright, wouldn’t it? To just, let go. Let someone else take the weight for a little while. Just until he could get his footing back. He just wanted to close his eyes for a little. Obi-wan wouldn’t be mad, would he?

Only two of them felt the warning. The smiles quickly burning off their faces with the sharp pull from the Force. It was beginning to scream. Shifting as Anakin’s hold on all of it weakened and slackened further by the moment. They saw him in the middle of the field, chest heaving, form swaying in the wind, skin as white as the first snow of Hoth, sweat covering every inch of his body. They watched helpless as the Force let out a cry. His saber hilt slipping out of limp fingers, clattering to the ground as his legs gave out under his weight. A wave tore out through the Force, the presence that had been flooding through all of it since the middle of the battle flickering out like a dying star and leaving a gaping hole in its wake as the Chosen One fell in the way no one ever wanted him to. Every Force sensitive felt it. Luke and Leia gasping as their father’s presence snuffed so suddenly away from them. The Force was screeching, the children were sobbing. And the galaxy screamed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading! What are we feeling right now? What do you think is going to happen? Let me know in the comments!! Thank you again, so much, for reading my chaotic works. I'll see you all next week!


	12. Beg

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the amazing feedback on the last chapter!!!! Your comments all really made my entire day and week and I still can't stop smiling ab out them even now as I post this. Thank you and I hope you enjoy!!!!!!

Silence rang through the battlefield. For a moment no one moved, as if the sound of his body hitting the crushed grass beneath him had the same effect of an alarm. No movement, no breath, everyone just processing what had happened before the reality of it hit them. Obi-wan took the first step, Ahsoka right behind him with Rex just behind her. They ran. Faster than any of them ever remembered running in the past, they ran to get to him. To check him. To save him. 

It was always him it seemed. Always Anakin Skywalker, the Chosen One, the Master, General, Father, Brother. It was always him.

He was half on his side, half on his back when they reached him. Skin like ash and blood trailed from his nose. His eyes were closed, his hair plastered to his face and neck with sweat. Obi-wan and Ahsoka were on the ground with him instantly. Gently rolling him onto his back and checking him over. Rex waved Kix over, the med-trooper running to get to their fallen General. 

Obi-wan pressed fingers to the side of his throat, his face growing in desperation even as he pressed harder. Ahsoka held a hand just under his nose, waiting hoping, terror seeping into her features.

“He’s not breathing.”

“I don’t have a pulse.”

Kix got there just as he said it. Making eye contact with Rex and then to the two desperate Jedi kneeling in the grass next to him. His mission mode kicked in instantly. He couldn’t think about this like the Jedi that he’d served with since the beginning of the war. He couldn’t think about the times he’d dragged his general back to the medbay because he somehow believed his injuries were less important than anyone else’s. He couldn’t think about the teasing and taunting his Jedi and friend had done when they sat together in the cafe so Kix could make sure he was eating properly. None of that mattered. What mattered right now was saving his life after he used it to save all of theirs. 

Obi-wan shared a look with Kix before setting himself to work. He made sure Anakin was laying flat on the ground, checking him over for any other injuries before clasping his hands over his old student’s sternum and pressing down in rhythm. This wasn’t going to be the end. He would make sure of it. Anakin wouldn’t leave them like this. He was a thick headed, self sacrificing, reckless idiot sometimes but he always came back. Always. So even as he forced oxygen into Anakin’s still lungs, even as he felt how his mouth was already growing cold against Obi-wan’s own, even as he tasted the blood that had fallen over the pale curve of his lips; he had faith. This wasn’t the end. It couldn’t be. They never said goodbye. 

Ahsoka didn’t know what to do. This couldn’t be happening. She shouldn’t have listened when he told her to stay. She should have followed him into the field. Protected him. Fought with him. Maybe then they wouldn’t be here. Her Grandmaster pressing down on her master’s chest and forcing air into his lungs. She didn’t see any wounds on him really. If this had been any other fight she would be rolling her eyes and laughing with him and Rex on the gunship while he complained about how gross he felt. But now she was just wanting him to open his eyes and tell her it was alright. Without really thinking about it she grabbed onto his hand. He hurt to look at in the force before but now he was almost completely faded. She’d take the pain if it meant she could have him too. 

Rex was calling in the medevac as soon as he looked at Kix. Skywalker would make it. He had to make it. He remembered the conversation they’d had on the ship before they made it to the death trap. He remembered the look on his Jedi’s face. _“Just in case,”_ he’d said. Just in case. That was all it was supposed to be. There was still hope, they still had time, still had a chance. Rex didn’t even want to imagine what the kids were thinking. His eyes trailing up to the cameras still hovering around them all. Watching down like some heartless specter even though he knew there were people on the other sides of those screens in just as much pain as he was seeing his general like this. 

It wasn’t lost on any of them that if Anakin hadn’t done what he did it would have been a bloodbath. Not many of them would’ve survived, if any, had he not crushed the army. The entire 501st was already forming up into a protective ring around their injured general. If there was any other part of this trap it was not going to get through to its target. It would have to go through one of the most bloodthirsty and protective battalions to get there. And that simply wasn’t an option. Nothing was going to get past them. Their general would be alright. And then they would all celebrate the end of the war with him. That was how it was meant to be. It’s how it was going to be. End of the story.

Cody followed Rex’s gaze up to the cameras. He understood, he always did. Without hesitating he turned to Boil and Jesse and started giving orders to get the camera’s down. The galaxy didn’t need to see this. They deserved at least a little bit of privacy. He didn’t want to imagine the twins. One more look to Rex and he knew he was thinking the same thing. They’d both bonded with the shiny Jedi from the day they were born. Neither of them wanted to imagine what it was like watching your father collapse like that when you were too far to help. 

Padme’s tears had turned to pained ones full of sorrow. The black screen and ringing silence was the only other thing aside from the sobs from the family. Leia had burrowed into her left while Luke attached himself to her right. Both of them crying hysterically and despite the fact that Padme was crying as well she refused to give up hope. Anakin promised he would come home to them. He would. That would be the end of it, he wouldn’t break his promise. She looked to Bail, saw the pain on his face. But she wasn’t going to give up. Not until she saw his body burn would she give up hope that he would come back. 

“Mommy I can’t feel him.”

Padme’s heart broke a little more. She kissed the top of Leia’s head and held her daughter a little closer. The moment she saw her husband crumple to the ground both her children were crying out. Yelling that he’d vanished. She knew they couldn’t directly sense him so she had to assume it was from whatever change he’d done. That he’d been in the Force, that he _was_ the Force. Luke had Nikana clutched in his hands. Clinging to it like it was a lifeline. The memory of that day striking out to her so vibrantly, how everyone had celebrated and when the night finally ended half of them needed to spend the night. She remembered how her and Anakin had snuck back to their bedroom after tucking in the twins. Dodging the creaky floorboards so they wouldn’t wake up any of the light sleepers crashing in their living area. She remembered how she had carefully closed and latched the door just to turn to see Anakin with a small box in his hand. 

_“A secret gift.”_ He’d said.

She remembered the small smile that played on his lips when she opened it to find a small crystal hanging from a simple silver chain woven with a thin black cord. The metal casing holding the crystal to the chain was simple and yet one of the most elegant things she had ever seen. She remembered the first necklace he had given her, still hung safely around her neck even then, 17 years later. 

_“Oh Ani..”_

_“Do you like it?”_

_“I love it.”_

_“I’m glad. A while ago a black market deal was broken up, one that was selling light sabers. One of the ones for sale happened to be my first saber. This was my crystal.”_

She remembered the tender way he had pulled it from the box, the way he had moved her hair to clasp it safely around her. She knew how the crystals worked and even though she couldn’t sense his signature inside it she felt safer with it, like a part of him was permanently there. His fingers grazed over the edge of the japor snippet, smiling softly and pulling her close to whisper his words.

_“Now this one is to remember I am always with you.”_

Even now, sat on the floor with their sobbing children held tight in her arms she felt the weight of the necklace around her throat. A couple years ago now the chain for the crystal had gotten snagged by an intruder in the senate building. After that she had it attached to hang next to the japor snippet, together as one necklace. She wondered if the children would be able to feel him through the crystal. It might be worth a try, but on the other hand if she said it would work and it didn’t. Or if they could and they felt his presence burn out through it, she didn’t want to traumatize them further than they were already. 

Bail sat next to the group on the floor offering up his support and comfort. There wasn’t much they could do aside from wait. Obi-wan would tell them the verdict. He wouldn’t leave the family wondering. He knew they had seen it. But for now she was just praying that her Anakin would come home. She would never forget him, but she wanted him not just the necklace he’d given to her when they first met. 

Obi-wan kept pressing down, he was desperate but he wasn’t going to give up on him. Not yet. Not after everything they’d been through he couldn’t lose him too. So he kept pressing down, kept pinching his nose and breathing into his lungs. If Anakin didn’t have the strength right now that was fine. Obi-wan would do it for him. 

He knew the feeling of a snapped and shattered force bond. He knew how much it hurt. The sudden darkness where there used to be light and life. The pain radiating through a body as the feeling of another’s presence ripped away from them. Anakin was always bright in the force, brighter than any other being but now he was fading. He wasn’t gone yet, it wasn’t fast, it wasn’t abrupt. Not like others that he’d seen. He’d seen the haunted looks on padawan’s faces when their masters had been killed in this terrible war. He’d seen the traumatized expression on the masters whose padawan’s had been slaughtered before they were able to save them. He remembered Naboo, cradling his own master in his arms. Begging him to stay alive, making a life changing promise, and feeling their bond snap in half like a piece of rubber put under too much stress. 

But Anakin wasn’t dead yet. He wouldn’t be for a long time either if Obi-wan had any say in the matter. He would burn the Force itself if it took Anakin away from him now. His presence was more of a dim lit candle than the supernova he normally was. His light, usually all consuming now forced into the faintest glow. He could see Kix grabbing the paddles of the AED, rubbing them together to speed up the charge. He could see Ahsoka gripping onto Anakin’s flesh hand, fingers pressed into the artery on his wrist, searching, hoping, praying for a sign of life. Clouds were forming above them rumbling out with light flashing in the distance. This wasn’t going to happen like this. The universe wasn’t allowed to pull something like this. None of that poetic nonsense found in the pages of flimsiplast. None of those dramatic lines in holo-dramas that the world cried for its fallen hero. Anakin wasn’t gone, he didn’t need to be mourned, he would live. _Dammit he had to live._

Kix gave the order to move away and Obi-wan and Ahsoka did the second the words were out of his mouth. Anakin’s skin looked nearly gray, he didn’t know how long he’d been doing CPR but his arms felt like jelly. It didn’t matter. Watching the electricity arc into his old padawan, seeing his body jerk and remain unresponsive as Kix swore. He took up his position again. He wasn’t going to lose him. He refused to let anyone else he loved die in his arms. He’d seen it too many times already. 

Obi-wan rocked back on his heels as Kix shocked Anakin again. Again his limp body jerked and laid still. He heard Ahsoka choke on a sob, felt more than saw Rex and Cody shift uncomfortably. But he kept pressing down.

“Please Master. Come back.”

Obi-wan closed his eyes and breathed into Anakin’s lungs hard. He needed to come back. Anakin was strong enough. His presence was flickering, burning out like the last embers of a dying fire but he wasn’t _gone._ He kept the rhythm. Trying to keep his eyes off the slack face before him. Even when the rain began pattering down and the engines of a gunship could be heard coming in for a landing. 

He was working hard to ignore the feeling of Anakin’s ribs shifting under his hands each time he pressed down. It was one of the major dangers of doing this kind of thing. The person you were trying to save would be hurt in the process but the way Obi-wan saw it hurt was infinitely better than dead. You could apologize to a hurt person, nurse them back to health. There was nothing you could ever do for them if they were dead. He’d seen his apprentice hurt more times than he would care to admit. Anakin always bounced back relatively quickly, he’d even made it a joke at one point when he was a teenager to keep track of how many bones he broke like it was some sort of grotesque contest. But that just summed up Anakin in a way. Everything could be made into light. As if the world they lived in was nothing but a playground for him, built for him and bending to his will. But he couldn’t think of those moments right now. He had to think about the task at hand, none of them could afford him to choke. Not now. He would have enough strength to ignore it. He had to. 

Yet the memories he was trying so hard not to think about came rushing to the forefront of his mind. The memory of guiding his young nine year old padawan through how to put on his robes properly. Or tucking the small boy onto his lap and teaching him to read. He still remembered how awkward Anakin had been about the whole situation. Too proud to admit a fault and afraid of the punishment he thought he would receive. He remembered taking him to Illum for the first time, watching the joy light up his face when he came out with his first crystal. 

“Breathe Anakin.”

He breathed for him again. Everyone thankfully ignoring the way his voice cracked over his next words.

“Dammit, _breathe Padawan.”_

He kept pressing down. The charge on the defibrillator was almost ready. Almost, but Anakin wasn’t responding to anything. And he was almost gone. He could feel the pressure on their bond, feel the tension building up. Ready to snap at any moment.

“Please breathe.”

He pulled back once again. Tears threatening him at the back of his throat, exhaustion seeping into his limbs but he didn’t dare let himself feel any of it. Not now. Not when Anakin needed him, never when Anakin needed him. 

“Come on General. You don’t get to leave us yet.”

Kix was talking when he placed the paddles to the still chest. It was the only testament to his worry. The usually calm medic showed his concern by talking to console himself. The charge went in. Anakin’s body jerked. For a few moments there was nothing, Obi-wan was about to press down onto his boy’s cracked sternum and broken ribs but then he gasped. Choking immediately on the air that entered his lungs. His eyes were still closed, he was having trouble moving. But that didn’t matter because Anakin was alive. He was breathing, albeit it was more like wheezing but there was a pulse now. 

“That’s it, just breathe. It’s alright.”

Rain was matting down all of their hair and clothes. Anakin was still much too pale, his breathing too ragged, too strained. If Obi-wan shed tears of relief that his apprentice was alive again then no one saw. It was just the rain running down his face. Nothing more nothing less. He was alive but the galaxy still sobbed. 

The tension melted away from the bond at the same time Anakin’s presence flickered to life again. No where near the supernova he was, more like a lone candle in the room of a thousand fountains, burning dim but reflecting on the nearby surfaces to seem brighter than it was. 

Ahsoka laughed through her tears grasping onto her master’s hand like a lifeline, like proof he was really there. Obi-wan supported him the best he could cradling his former student in his arms, taking in the heat slowly returning to his body. It hadn’t been that long, had it? It couldn’t have been. And yet Anakin’s eyes remained closed, he did nothing more than take in his wheezing breaths. But that was enough. So long as he lived that would be enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> He lives! For now. :) I'm looking forward to posting the next chapters as we begin into the second arc of this story. I really hope you guys like the things I have planned! As always, thank you all so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed and let me know what you think in the comments!! If you have anything you'd like to see drop it down below and I will see what I can do. Thank you again I love each and every one of you and would not write without all this support. Have an amazing day and I will see you all next Friday!!!


	13. Home

The rain hadn’t stopped since he collapsed on the field. Reporters lined the entrance to the Jedi Temple. Trying desperately to get a shot of the Republic’s Hero returning from ending the war. Crowds of people and yet there were no cheers, no shouting. It wasn't all too surprising considering how the broadcast had ended. You did not need to be a healer to know that CPR was never a good omen for one’s health. The temple guards kept the walkway clear, keeping all the reporters back and away from the Jedi walking into the temple on their days. 

It was part of the Jedi way to not value any one person above or more than anyone else. Yet no one particularly felt like celebrating the end of the war. Instead many of the Jedi in the temple opted to wait in silence for the return of their Chosen One. Younglings were restless, everyone was really. After watching a fight like that for so long, after feeling the force explode in light and then having it pull back so sharply. Not one of them was prepared to move on like nothing happened. Not just yet at least. 

Member’s of the Coruscant guard moved in solemn silence around the family they were protecting as they walked with them up the temple stairs. The Skywalker family had been famous enough before all of this and now if people hadn't known them before they did now without a doubt. The guard did their best to provide as much protection from the eyes watching them but they knew some would be taken anyways. Padme kept her children close to her as they walked up the steps. On one hand she was trying to show strength for both her children and the public but on the other hand she wanted nothing more than to run to where her husband would be. 

The gunship carrying the cargo everyone was focused on landed in the relative privacy of the Temple hanger closest to the med bay. It was an odd thing, Obi-wan noted as he stepped out alongside the grav stretcher. For all that Coruscant was a city planet it was painfully quiet. Ahsoka stood in silence at his side Jesse, Rex, Cody, and Kix all with them. The trip to the Halls of Healing were fast but silent. A fear and chaos so controlled and kept that it felt more like a whirlwind. Kix was the only one who went in with Master Che to tend to Anakin. The rest of them were stuck idling in the hall. Replaying the last moments he stood over and over again in their heads. 

Jesse looked up to see Rex’s face. His older brother’s expression was covered in shadows of worry and doubt and regret. Cody was standing close already. Boil had stayed behind to keep the 212th in check, Jesse was supposed to be doing the same for the 501st but he wasn’t willing to leave Rex or his General at the moment. He knew his brother was guilting himself over not protecting the General but there was nothing he could have done. He had to know that. The Commander was pressed into General Kenobi’s side. His arm wrapped lightly around her shoulders to keep her close and secure. Both of them were trying to keep the Jedi facade of peace and calmness but anyone who knew them well enough could see right by it. 

The doors at the end of the hall opened. Jesse’s heart felt like it was clogging his throat. Not one time in their entire life had Jesse seen his General’s kids looking like this. Sad, silent, tear tracks still on their faces. Both of them walked next to their mom, clutching to her hands and holding some sort of comfort item in their other. They made their way over to them quickly, Cody and Rex both kneeling down to see the twins. Ahsoka tried to shake herself out of it all while Obi-wan moved towards Padme. Suddenly Jesse felt like he was watching something he wasn’t supposed to. Like he was an uninvited witness to something deeply private. And then a small hand was reaching out and grabbing for him. He looked down at the tiny version of his General. Meeting his eyes and seeing the tears welling up there. Jesse had never been very good with children, especially with his Jedi’s children. He’d always been afraid of what could go wrong. Afraid to hurt them. Afraid to do anything. But he couldn’t turn away. So he dropped down to his knees and allowed Luke to grab Rex and force them into a group hug. 

“You brought him home.”

The small words shattered Rex’s heart into a thousand pieces. He’d promised them he’d protect their father. And he’d failed. Anakin's heart had stopped. They’d seen it. Everyone had seen his failure. 

“I’m so sorry.”

Obi-wan met Padme while the children ran ahead to the others.

“Obi-wan?..”

“He’s alive.”

Tears almost immediately filled her eyes. He wanted to reach out to comfort her but felt it wouldn’t be right. He’d sworn an oath to protect Anakin and he hadn’t done it when it mattered most. 

“Will he be alright? What happened? Can we see him?”

“The healers are working on him now.” 

He swallowed hard around what he had to say, gesturing off to the side so they would be further from any overhearing ears. 

“Obi-wan?..”

Her voice was so full of fear for her husband that he nearly couldn’t get his words out.

“Padme, Anakin almost didn’t make it. He’s been touch and go the majority of the trip back. Kix was only just able to get him to a semblance of stable before the last jump.”

She covered her mouth with her hand to attempt to stifle the sob that wanted to escape.

“What happened? Luke, Leia, they said he was in the Force? That he  _ was  _ the Force? What happened?”

Obi-wan took a deep breath and spared another look back to the others. Ahsoka, Rex, Cody, and Jesse had all formed a huddle around Luke and Leia on the floor near the wall. He knew on one hand that would be frowned upon but on the other that no one would question it considering what had just happened. Turning back to look at Padme again he began his explanation. 

“In short terms Anakin has a critical case of Force exhaustion. But I feel putting it like that doesn’t do justice to what exactly he did.”

He paused for her to ask any questions but she merely nodded along. Anakin had gone home to her exhausted plenty of times from the strains of missions both physical and from the Force. But never had he collapsed like he had on that battlefield.

“So then how would you put it?”

“Luke and Leia were right when they told you he was in the Force. The Force has never interacted with anyone like this in all recorded history. Anakin’s presence fused with the rest of the Force. Like he had become the very thing itself. The only other time anything like this ever happened was on Mortis but even then he hadn’t  _ become  _ the Force.”

“I remember he told me about Mortis. How the Force moved to him differently there?”

Obi-wan nodded. For being non-Force sensitive Padme always seemed to surprise him with how much she understood the topic and how it all worked. A Jedi husband had to have given her a reason to remember it all he supposed. 

“Yes. The Force was stronger there than anywhere else but I don’t think even that strange place would compare with the battlefield today.”

He was about to continue when the doors opened and Master Che stepped out. Immediately all of them were up and moving over to her. She huffed at them lightly but part of being a healer also meant understanding. Even when it came to Skywalker and Kenobi. Luke stared up at her in earnest. 

“Is Daddy okay?”

Padme placed a hand on her son’s head to try to comfort him before looking up at the master healer.

“How is he?”

“He will live. The medic Kix did an excellent job treating him on the way back. Currently he is in a healing trance but his exhaustion is still critical. He won’t be on another mission for at least a month.”

“A month?” Ahsoka gaped at her.

“Yes. Your master continues to be the one patient other than Kenobi who manages to hurt themselves in ways I never thought any self respecting Jedi possible.”

Ahsoka looked down quickly at the response from the chief healer. She’d also had her fair share of visits to the halls when her and Anakin would get into their usual trouble. She knew the lectures well. Leia stared up at the Master and continued on in true Skywalker fashion.

“Can we see him?”

Of all the Skywalkers, Vokara Che liked Leia the most. She was the only one who seemed to respect the rules of the halls and didn’t yet take after the carelessness of her father and other family. 

“For now I will have to say no. He needs to rest. I am sorry little one but your father will be fine. You will be able to take turns seeing him tomorrow but he needs to rest tonight.”

Padme spoke up again. For a moment Vokara thought she would demand to see her husband as she had years ago when the then Knight had been severely injured. Instead she simply asked a question. 

“He’s off duty for a month but how will his recovery be? Is there anything we can do?”

Vokara considered the woman before her for a moment. Both halves of the couple had changed their ways slightly after the birth of their children. She supposed it was to set a good example for them. The thought despite it all made her want to laugh. If they took after either one of their parents in any way she was sure to be seeing them both often enough. Young Luke had already made quite a few appearances in the halls for his injuries. But now, looking at the family huddled together. Mix matched into a group of odds and ends yet family nonetheless she knew they would want him back sooner rather than later. She could only be honest to them. No matter how much some may say to sugar coat in the presence of the patient’s children. 

“A week here at least. I want to watch him and make sure he’s recovering as he should. It may not seem like much happened but you must understand that what your husband did cannot ever be recreated. If treatment had not been applied immediately he would have died on that field. I doubt he will have the energy to do much more than walk around your home for the weeks after I release him. Don’t be surprised if he sleeps more often than not. That is a good thing. His body is trying to heal and it can’t do that unless he rests.”

Luke’s small voice broke into her instructions.

“But..He’s gonna wake up. Right?”

Not one of them there didn’t feel the pang of hurt that rippled out at Luke’s words. It was easy to see the worry in all of them. But his children hid emotions about as well as Anakin did when he first came to the temple. Safe to say, not at all. 

“Yes. I cannot say when, but he will. You just need to give him time. What your father did today could not have been done by anyone else. You should be very proud of him.”

It was high words to come from her. The master healer was notorious for ripping criticisms to the ones who got themselves hurt when there were other options. Walking headfirst into a trap with the orders for your men to not protect or help you was something that at any other time in the war would have had Master Che ripping Anakin limb from limb after treating his wounds. To have her say people should be proud of actions that landed one in the halls meant high levels of respect. And every single one of them there knew it. 

“Keep things quiet when you visit him. Avoid stressing him, his body is still weak. I don’t know what lingering effects there might be from the level of connection he achieved with the Force. He may be confused or disoriented. I’ll need to check. If he wakes with any of you in the room you are to notify me immediately until I say you can do otherwise.”

All of them nodded along to the instructions. Jesse was already planning on how to tell the battalion what the verdict was. At the very least he knew Rex would be at his side. He didn’t envy Cody for having to tell the 212th on his own. Sure General Skywalker was going to be alright but being off duty for a month still said more than anything else. To the 212th Anakin was still their young Padawan. He was their first commander. If Sidious wasn’t killed on the field then the 212th and 501st would have made him dead by dawn. 

Ahsoka shifted next and leaned up against Obi-wan. Immediately he had an arm around her shoulders. It was a position Vokara recognized as one that he used often to comfort his padawan when someone they knew was in the halls. She spared another look to all of them gathered around her and decided they would only leave if she dismissed them.

“Go home. All of you. Rest. General Skywalker is not the only one who’s had a long day. All of you need to shower, eat, and sleep. Then you can come back and visit him in the morning.”

Obi-wan opened his mouth but before he could even get a word in she cut him off with both a sharp look and sharp tongue. 

“You especially Kenobi. If I find you loitering around here or attempting to sneak into his room to see him I will lock you in a cell with your commander supervising your every action. Do you understand me?”

He at the very least had the decency to look bashful in his response.

“Yes Master.”

“Good. I’ll watch your padawan. He’s safe now. All of you can rest. May the Force be with you.”

Each of them responded in their own ways before heading off out of the halls. Vokara sighed for what felt like the millionth time that day. She knew as soon as she saw Skywalker walk onto that field alone that he would land here. But in the end she was glad it was here and not the temple morgue. She would always be glad for that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anakin's family time yes but not really. It's fine nothing really goes wrong this chapter or does it? How are we all feeling now? Better than last week? Or are the notes giving you a growing sense of concern. Thank you all so much reading let me know what you think in the comments you make my soul very happy by doing that! Thank you for the feedback last week, and I will see you all next Friday with chapter 14!


	14. Breathe

**_THEN_ **

Anakin paced back and forth across the floor in his room. His robes exchanged instead for a dark suit. Black shirt, black jacket, black pants, paired with a red vest and tie. It wasn’t his usual attire by a long shot but the occasion warranted the change.

“You’ll put a hole in our floor if you keep pacing like that.”

Anakin’s head jerked up at the sound of his old master’s voice. Obi-wan was in a suit as well, where Anakin had red’s Obi-wan’s swapped out instead for a tan the same shade as his robes. The older man walked over to his former padawan and began straightening his tie and collar. 

“Honestly, Anakin, did I forget to teach you patience in all your years of training?”

“It’s not everyday I get married, Master. I think I’ve earned a bit of nerves.”

“You’ve married her before have you not?”

Anakin leveled a glare at him. 

“Yes. In secret. Where no one could see and I’ll have you know it was very romantic and we did a good job at keeping it secret.”

Obi-wan just rolled his eyes and looked Anakin’s outfit over once again. He may not wear fashion outside of his robes often but he certainly had more style than the human disaster that was his former padawan. 

“You fooled absolutely no one dear one. We all knew you and Senator Amidala held each other close to your hearts.”

Anakin seemed to consider the words in his head before smirking.

“Maybe. But you didn’t know we were married. So I count it as a win.”

“Oh I’m sure.”

They settled into a comfortable silence and looked each other over again before Anakin broke it off with a wet laugh. 

“I’ve faced off thousands of battle droids without flinching but I’m afraid to meet my wife at the altar. How the mighty have fallen.”

With the revelations of everything coming to light in the last weeks Anakin and Padme had decided they were going to commit publicly to show the changes that were being enacted to the order. They would have waited but time was of the essence with a child on the way. They wanted to be able to claim the baby as theirs. Not one or the other, not born with a secret family rather than one they could show. So quickly things had been put in place for them to be married at the end of the week. The 212th and 501st likely were already at the venue, along with the other guests. Ahsoka and Padme were meeting with Sabe and Teckla at this point. Obi-wan and Anakin were waiting in the temple for the other two groomsmen to arrive.

“You have hardly fallen Anakin. Breathe. It’s alright to be nervous, this is a big day for you.”

“What if I mess up?”

Obi-wan didn’t need to feel the wave of anxiety through their bond to know his old student was scared of the potential futures that lay ahead of him. 

“You will be alright. You aren’t going to be up there alone. I am always with you.”

Right after he said it there was a knock at the door. Anakin and him both glanced away at the door but Obi-wan was the one who made the move forward to open it. On the other side stood the rather fidgety forms of Rex and Jesse. Both of them clad in well tailored suits with the same cream color as Obi-wan’s with blue accents on them.

“Gentlemen.”

At Obi-wan’s greeting both of them breathed a little easier. Jesse’s face broke into a huge grin while Rex just shook his head at his brother’s antics. Anakin appeared behind Obi-wan’s shoulder and looked at them both.

“Thank you, both of you.”

“You think we would miss this?”

Rex laughed a little at his Jedi’s ridiculousness. There was no way any of them were going to miss this. After everything that had happened Anakin deserved a break. He deserved something good. And for all he’d done for them his troops were going to make sure it went as smoothly as possible. Obi-wan looked at both of them with a humorous expression both on his face and in his voice.

“He’s nervous.”

Jesse started laughing at the declaration. Cuffing Anakin on the shoulder but giving him a friendly look despite it. 

“You’ll do fine sir.”

Rex caught the nerves that still hid behind his General’s eyes despite what he knew were Obi-wan’s assurances and Jesse’s.

“Cody said the venue is set up exactly as it should be, there’s guards posted around every entry and vantage point. Everything is secure and safe.”

His report managed to get a laugh out of Anakin. Which, really, had been his whole intent. He knew if Obi-wan’s words hadn’t shaken the nerves there was nothing anyone could say to him that would banish the anxieties there. The best he could do was break it up with something else.

“Thank you Rex. I don’t know where I would be without all of you.”

Jesse’s retort was quicker than a sniper shot, deadpanned voice and all as he spoke.

“Dead.”

Rex looked horrified for a second, Obi-wan looked concerned, but Anakin just burst out laughing. Jesse at the least realized what came out of his mouth and looked just as mortified as Rex. 

“I didn’t mean-”

“No. You’re probably right.”

Obi-wan glanced up at the chrono hanging on the wall and tutted lightly at the time. 

“You are not exactly careful with your own wellbeing Anakin.”

“Bold words for you to say Master.”

“General Grievous did say I was a bold one. But we really should be leaving now unless you would like to be late for your own wedding?”

Anakin followed his gaze up to the chrono and nearly choked on his own spit. Patting down his body to make sure he had everything he needed to while his best man and groomsmen watched amusedly. Obi-wan eventually decided to have mercy and run through the items with him. 

“Rings?”

Anakin felt his pocket for the shape of the box there.

“Have them.”

“Vows?”

A pat to his breast pocket and another confirming nod that they were in fact there. At that point Jesse decided to interrupt.

“Lightsaber?”

Rex and Obi-wan gave him a confused look to which he simply shrugged while Anakin swore and doubled back to grab the weapon from where it had sat on the couch. Clipping it securely to his belt he gave a nod to Jesse. Rex decided it might be best to intervene.

“Uhm, Sir, can I ask why you’d need your weapon with you at your wedding?”

Anakin gave a small blush to Rex and a glare to Jesse while Obi-wan tried to put all the pieces together. 

“You’ll see. It’ll make sense later. Trust me.”

* * *

Padme paced in long strides across the opening to the balcony in her apartment. After tonight it wasn’t going to be just her’s either. It was going to belong to both her and her husband. She still wasn’t used to the idea of them having the knowledge of their love being public but it was something she was ready to get used to. They wouldn’t have to hide anymore. None of them would have to hide. 

“Master Obi-wan would say you’re going to burn a hole in the floor if you keep doing that.”

Padme turned to look at the smiling togruta watching her pace with a smile on her face. 

“Har har Ahsoka.”

She quickly put her hands up in a surrender and laughed.

“I’m just saying! Besides. You look beautiful, Anakin is a lucky guy to have you.”

Padme smiled at her but still worried her hands. Her dress now was very similar to her dress at their first wedding on Naboo. The differences were that her skirt was a little fuller now, the dress complimenting all of her body. She had even arranged that her veil that she’d worn that day be delivered to her so she could wear it again. She knew it was an often complaint from women that they only got to wear their gowns once. The lace laid over her skin like freshly fallen snow. Ahsoka was about to make another comment but Sabe and Teckla walked in from the other room effectively cutting her off. 

“You have nothing to worry about Padme. He’s head over heels for you and you look gorgeous. If he turns you down at the altar I’ll kill him for you it’s really no trouble.”

Padme just stared at her former protector. Sabe sat on the couch next to Ahsoka just in time for her husband’s padawan to give her a high five for her statement. Really the two of them were certainly something else that was for sure. Teckla swatted her lightly on the arm and walked over to Padme to look her in the eye properly when she spoke. 

“What is it that you’re so nervous about? I’ve seen you talk down threats and angry senators no problem. He is already your husband is he not?”

Padme gave her a thankful look at her actually attempting to address the issue. But that was just the problem. Padme wasn’t sure what exactly the issue was. 

“He is. And I know this wedding is just a formality, but I want it to go well. This is the first time a Jedi is publicly getting married. If anything goes wrong it could hurt others in the order and prevent them from having the happiness Anakin and I share.”

It felt like a full minute of silence passed before Sabe was standing with Ahsoka hot on her heels to all surround her. 

“Really? That’s what you’re worried about. It’s going to be fine Padme.”

“You don’t know that. Something could go wrong. There’s still a war going on and-”

“And from my understanding of the timeline you and Skyguy got married during the beginning of the war the first time anyway. Didn’t you also kiss him while you both got wheeled into an arena to be put to death?”

Sabe and Teckla, having never heard those particular parts of the story, both stared at her with open mouths. Padme shifted slightly, her dress catching on the light that was shining into the room giving her an iridescent glow. Ahsoka grinned knowing she had caught the famous Senator off guard. It was a good habit one had to learn in order to keep up with Anakin’s immense worry and paranoia. 

“Well, yes. But those were other times-”

Ahsoka huffed. 

“You sound just like him. I bet right now he’s worrying about the same kind of things.”

Padme just rolled her eyes but Sabe made a face at the thought of what the men were doing at that moment. 

“With the way Skywalker plans I would be surprised if half of them weren’t late. The troopers are probably only leaving now.”

All of them laughed at the thought but Padme at the least tried to defend them.

“Give them a little bit of slack. If I know Ani he’s being paranoid about making sure things go smoothly.”

Sabe’s grin almost seemed predatory.

“Excellent! Then let him worry about it. Stress isn’t good for a bride on her wedding day.”

Teckla placed a hand on her arm and smiled up to her even as Sabe headed off towards the door.

“You deserve this My Lady. You deserve to be happy.”

Sabe turned to look at them again.

“Come on. We don’t want them to beat us there. Your idiot husband will make fun of us the whole time if they win.”

Teckla turned to catch up to keep her friend in line. Ahsoka and Padme following them at a better pace. 

“You’ll need to remember to be nice to him today.”

“If he wants me to be nice to him he needs to earn it. As far as I’m concerned that man stole Padme’s virtue.”

“Sabe!”

Padme’s scandalized voice got an apology out of her maid of honor. Ahsoka just laughed and nudged her shoulder with the second time bride.

“I’ll be surprised if Anakin doesn’t faint when he sees you.”

“That’s only because you helped me choose the dress Ahsoka.”

“Maybe.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts? I mentioned this before in previous chapters but now you guys get to see more parts of it. Their public wedding and how the lovely couple is. Please let me know what you thought in the comments below! I love reading all of them you all make my whole day. I love you all. Thank you so much for reading as always! I'll see you all next week!!


	15. Please

**_NOW_ **

The Halls of Healing were almost always a quiet place. The sounds of healers moving room to room. Patients regaining their feet and healing in their rooms. Visitors coming to see the ones they cared for to ensure they were getting better. Padme could agree there was a certain comfort in being able to look at your loved one while they healed rather than just hearing the news that they were getting better. 

Her eyes roamed back from the door of the room she was sitting in to the still form of her husband on the bed. Anakin had been in the halls for three days now and had yet to wake up. She desperately wanted to speak to him but she also knew that his body needed the rest. She remembered what Obi-wan had told her that first day. That Anakin had essentially become the Force. That he had done something that many thought was impossible. She only wished that it hadn’t nearly cost him his life to do so. Even now he was still pale. The scars on his body stood out even more.

Bandages wrapped around his chest to keep his ribs set in place. Multiple bacta patches covered burns that had been hidden by his robes before. His hair stuck out in odd angles on the pillow but even still Padme thought he was handsome. She had sworn a vow that she would be there with him through everything. Through all the good and all of the bad. That she would never leave him. She had sworn to him all those years ago that she would never leave. He’d sworn the same. So he couldn’t leave now. 

Obi-wan and Ahsoka were with the twins getting food from the cafe. She loved their children and she loved their curiosity and the questions they asked and how they expressed themselves and their worry for their father. But she was grateful for the silence. She hadn’t had a moment alone to process what their situation was since the first day. Having to put up a strong front so their children wouldn’t see how afraid she truly was. She wanted Anakin to wake up. Wanted him to hold her in his arms and kiss her and tell her it was alright. That he was still there. That he wasn’t leaving. 

Carefully she lifted a hand to brush the hair away from his forehead. He’d taken up a fever in the last day, his body working through the stress it had been put under. Master Che said it was nothing to worry about, that it was natural, but that didn’t stop her from worrying about her husband. Luke and Leia had both taken the habit of climbing into his bed here and laying with him. Master Che had looked displeased when she did her rounds and saw them sleeping there but she hadn’t said anything. As Anakin was still resting she let it slide. Obi-wan and her quietly shared tales back and forth while they waited. The children and Ahsoka laughed when they were awake and listening in. 

Obi-wan told them stories about the times Anakin was sick as a child. How he would be so stubborn about admitting it that he would work himself until he collapsed. He told them all about the times Anakin trained himself into fits of exhaustion. The time that Anakin sneezed on Master Windu by accident and thought he was going to be in trouble for being ill so he hid in the vents. It had taken Obi-wan hours to track him down through the temple and coax him back out. 

He even told stories about the times that he himself was ill and Anakin did his best to take care of him even though it was Anakin and things never truly went according to plan. Like the time when he was 11 and attempted to make Obi-wan soup without any of the proper ingredients so he used tea as a stock, put some vegetables in it and called it a soup. Or the time that he fell off the counter in an effort to reach the correct mugs and Obi-wan had needed to take him to the healers while coughing the whole way there. Even the time when Anakin was ten. When he had been so scared to leave Obi-wan’s side that he firmly planted himself there, all morning, all day, all night. Cuddled up to him like a young tooka cat until he himself got sick as well. 

All five of them had laughed at the stories. All five of them talked about how stubborn Anakin was, how he tried his best to care for the people he loved. Luke and Leia even pitched in with their own stories about times they were sick. The time Leia caught a cold and Anakin completely panicked because he didn’t know what to do. Luke talked about the time he smacked himself in the face with his training saber because he sneezed so hard. Ahsoka brought up the first time she’d caught a cold on a campaign and how Anakin had gone full mother hen mode to make sure she was safe and alright until she got better. 

Looking at him now just made Padme want him to wake up so they could take care of him better. She wanted him to open his eyes and mutter some nonsensical words to her because he wanted to go back to sleep. To be able to press senseless kisses to whatever parts of her flesh he could find without moving and mumble into her hair that he loved her. She remembered one of her favorite tales. A time when she had been sick in the earlier years of the war. She’d been laid up in bed for the last few days and Anakin had just gotten back from a long campaign. He couldn’t have known she was sick but maybe he sensed it somehow considering he entered the apartment with much more stealth that day than he did any other. 

She remembered waking up to him taking his boots off quietly on the other side of the bed. She remembered the tender smile he gave her and how carefully he’d climbed into the bed. How his arms felt when they wrapped around her. She remembered him kissing her on the forehead claiming it was the best way to check her temperature. He had been so gentle and careful that the next morning when she woke up and he was still in the bed with her, tapping away at a datapad that she grabbed her commlink and turned it onto its camera and hit record. She knew the best way to get her results, so she made sure to play up a childish tone in her own voice. Anakin was the only one she was comfortable enough to do that sort of thing with. He made her feel like she was still the young girl queen that he’d met ages ago.

_ “Hey Love, my stomach hurts.” _

Without looking away from his datapad she saw him frown and purse his lips and change his voice to match her tone perfectly. 

_ “Aw, want me to make you some soup?” _

His voice was most definitely in the mode one would use to talk to a child or a pet. It made a smile pull on her lips as he looked away and immediately saw the recording light on him. His whole expression changed in a matter of seconds before he was clearing his throat and deepening his voice. 

_ “I mean-” _ He made it go lower.  _ “Want me to make you some soup?” _

Her laugh just made him get even more flustered. He was trying to sound tough but it was such a humorous tone shift that she couldn’t help it. He even went so far as to try to hide himself in her hair. 

_ “Why would you- why are you recording? Don’t record me when I sound like that.” _

Their joint laughter was how the video ended. She had developed a habit of watching it whenever he was on long campaigns. Just to see his smile, to see the love in his eyes, to hear his laugh. Once again her thoughts were pulled back to the current reality. 

She could see the scars highlighted against his skin. Every mark telling a story and she realized suddenly that she didn’t even know them all. There was a white scar from a brand that happened years ago right over his heart. The healers did all they could but the mark of the Jedi Order remained branded into his flesh from his kidnappers. There were small pale lines on his left wrist from a time when he’d been strung up by barbed wire as a centerpiece for a winter festival. She could see pale marks of times he’d been shot, the times he’d been cut up on a mission and had to wait too long for treatment that the bacta wasn’t able to remove the marks of the wounds completely. 

His body read the scars like a book. A pale line just at the edge of his forehead signified a time that he’d been too close to an explosion and the shrapnel had caught him. A slightly pink line that traced his jawline on the right side of his face from a time a magna guard had nearly gotten the best of him. She never liked when he left on missions. She understood that he needed to but she worried every time that she would never see him again. That something would happen and she would lose him forever. The missions where he didn’t even get to say goodbye were the worst. The one’s where he had to leave as soon as he was assigned it. The ones he didn’t have time to run to her and tell her what happened. The ones that she only discovered he was gone when the holonet reported that he was leading the campaign. 

“Oh Ani…”

Tears welled up in her eyes looking at him like this. For the first time she allowed herself to really feel it. The pain of watching him battle alone, the fear that consumed her when he collapsed. When she heard Ahsoka say he wasn’t breathing and Obi-wan say he couldn’t find a pulse. 

“We really need you to wake up. We all miss you. You don’t even have to stay awake for long just a little bit so we know you’re okay.”

He didn’t react. Not that she really expected him to. Master Che told them from day one that his exhaustion was critical. That he needed to rest as much as possible and that there was no way to tell when exactly he would wake up. But that was okay. As much as she wanted him to wake up right then and hold her she could wait. She knew that he eventually would wake up. That there would be time later, that he was going to be alright. She could wait. She would always wait for him. 

She was just placing another kiss to his cheek when a small movement caught her eye. A tiny twitch of his fingers on his right hand. Logic said not to be too excited by that. The mechno wasn’t going to be a solid indicator of his wakefulness but it hadn’t moved like the rest of him in days. 

“Ani?..”

She knew better than to hope this early. Knew better than to place her emotions on such a high stack when she knew it could topple so easily. And yet when it came to Anakin she could never seem to stop herself. So she placed her hand in his and tried again.

“Ani? Can you hear me?”

She felt his fingers twitch again. Watched a muscle in his leg tense like he was trying to move his body but lost the strength halfway through. Carefully Padme brought her other hand up to push back his bangs some more. The touch of her hand against his skin making his eyebrows bunch up.

“Can you open your eyes?”

He made a small whine in the back of his throat, his muscles twitching at seemingly random. She could get him there. This was the most he’d shown in days. 

“Wake up Ani. It’s okay. I’m here, just open your eyes.”

She shifted her hand away from his head for just long enough to press the button to call Master Che to the room. Returning it back to its place twining her fingers through his hair just in time to see him fight against his body to open his eyes. In that moment Padme thought his blue’s were the most beautiful color in the universe. The laugh caught her throat along with tears that seemed to come from nowhere but pure relief. 

“Hi.”

She could see him fight with his body to cooperate with him.

“Padme..”

His voice was hoarse from the disuse but it was still his. She laughed again about to respond when Master Che stepped in. Immediately the chief healer noticed her patient awake and was moving over to his unoccupied side. 

“Skywalker. It’s good to finally see you awake again. How do you feel?”

He thought about it for a moment, eyes trailing around the room like he was trying to identify exactly where he was. 

“Tired..numb?...I don’t..”

As he trailed off Padme shared a nervous look with Master Che.

“Anakin.” Padme kept her voice as even as she could to get his attention. “What do you remember?”

He hesitated again before answering, his voice grating as it came out. 

“The battlefield..Sidious was taunting me. I...I reached for the Force.” He paused again, eyes widening as the memories flooded back to him. “I killed him. The war-”

As soon as everything clicked into place Anakin was trying to push himself off of the bed to sit up. Both Padme and Vokara pushed him back down gently. Padme released a breath that had been stuck in her lungs at the revelation that he remembered what happened. It was like Master Che said then. He was just disoriented, a little confused on some parts but that was okay. She would explain it to him. There was noise from the hall and then her two little ones were stepping into the room, Obi-wan and Ahsoka close behind them. It took the group less than a second to see Anakin awake on the bed. 

“Daddy!”

The twin’s joint cry brought a large smile to her face. Neither one of them wasted any time climbing into their father’s bed and burrowing into his sides. Obi-wan came into place next to Master Che as Ahsoka moved to take her seat next to Padme. Vokara sighed heavily at the actions of her most chaotic group of patients. 

“Get more rest Anakin. Your body needs it. All of you, let him sleep. You can talk later.”

That they could and would was enough of a spirit lifter on its own. Padme could see Obi-wan and Ahsoka’s own relief reflected in their eyes. She pulled the young togruta in close for a side hug and just smiled with her. He wasn’t okay yet. But he would be. And that was enough. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tadaa! How are we feeling? Good? Bad? Still dreading what my notes mean? I'm having a lot of fun with this and I love all of your comments so so so much. Since this chapter had a reference to one of her tiktoks please if you are able or wanting go check out the lovely @daniellafenske on TikTok her Anakin is superb and many of her videos have helped to inspire this story. He's awake!! He's okay!!! For now :) I love you all very much! Please let me know what you think and I will see you all next week with chapter 16! Have amazing days you all deserve it.


	16. Vows

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted more because I love them. So enjoy.

**_THEN_ **

Vines and flowers covered the venue in shades of greens and pinks. The white fabrics and tapestry hanging from the walls and ledges catching the sunlight at just the right angle to give the entire area a heavenly look. The first public wedding between a Jedi and a Senator. It was the first between a Jedi and anyone as far as Cody was aware. This kind of thing had been unthinkable before but now that one was happening it set several of his protective instincts on edge. Cody kept looking around to make sure everything was running smooth still. Half the people in the room in the line of seats were armed and logically speaking he knew if anyone tried to pull anything political here either against the Republic Senate or the Jedi the chances of their success were incredibly slim but that didn’t stop him from looking. 

On one hand he knew that his Jedi was probably insulting his old padawan about worrying for things but on the other he knew for a fact that Obi-wan himself was worrying about the same kind of issues. He figured that Senator Amidala, soon to publicly be Senator Skywalker, was the only one who would have a level head about all of this. It was still a weird thought, to think of her with his old commander’s last name. Idly he wondered if she was going to keep using Amidala or not. For all he knew she was going to keep using both. The thought of Skywalkers in politics made him slightly queasy. And he’d seen quite a bit during the war. 

Boil came up behind him to cuff him on the shoulder. Leave it to Boil to pull his older brother out of his own head.    
“Stop fretting. You’re as bad as the General.”

He leveled a glare at the Lieutenant.

“Shut up. It’s our job to keep the vod in check and make sure this wedding goes over smoothly. It’s a big day for our Vaar’ika.”

Boil just stared at him for a few seconds before his brain caught up with what was just said.

“Did you just call Skywalker our  _ runt? _ ”

Cody, who no longer cared about being professional in regards to his two idiot Jedi, spoke with no amount of regret on his face.

“Yes.” 

Boil just stared at him for a few moments longer before shaking his head and lifting his hands in surrender.    
“Alright. But I hope you know he’s taller than you now if you somehow managed to miss that.”

“I didn’t. But he’s always going to be the same young commander I served with at the beginning of the war.”

If Cody had been looking he would have seen Boil’s grin at his commander’s sappy words.

“Save it for the toasts, or’dinii. You’ll need it then.”

Boil had already turned his back to head back to his seat or he would have seen Cody’s lethal glare. He wasn’t a fool. Skywalker had grown up quite a bit since the first battles of the war but he was still the same reckless shiny Cody protected back then. General Kenobi even bordered on that same operation stand point some times. The amount of times Cody had handed the man his lightsaber back after it was thrown away from him in the middle of a battle was surprising given how often he lectured his former student about the very same thing. 

People began settling all around the room. Taking their places as the music began shifting and the wedding parties began making their ways down the aisle. Everyone could see Anakin resisting the urge to fidget when Padme finally turned to walk down the aisle. Everyone stood together. Watching her move like the Angel Anakin always so lovingly called her when she walked. The dress highlighted every aspect of her beauty. When she finally did make it to the altar, and the groom was able to see his bride for the first time in a day, the room felt his gasp. They felt his awe when he looked upon her. Eye’s wide, mouth open. Kix, Cody, and Boil watched all of it with smiles on their faces. On one hand the action was incredibly, irrevocably sweet. On the other they wanted to roll their eyes at the dumbstruck look on the Jedi general’s face. 

If there was one thing that every guest that day was going to take away it was not what the holonet rumored it to be. It was not the ceremony, however lovely it was. It was not the dress or the suits that adorned the wedding party. It was not the elegant hairstyles or the decorations of the venue no matter how gorgeous they were. Not even the kiss that was so looked forward to. No. The largest impact of the day was the vows.

“Anakin, you have brought me light ever since we were children.”

Both of them were smiling. One hand interlaced with their partner’s and the other on the notes that had been so diligently prepared. 

“Many times I thought I was too young to be queen. That I shouldn’t have been in such a rank at such a young age, that I wasn’t ready. But then I met you. And while the struggles of being queen never left and I was relieved when my term came to an end I found that every day it got hard I had you.”

Her hand reached and found the japor snippet hung around her neck. Her thumb trailing over the carvings on it in a well known and well loved path. 

“I had a gift from the small boy I’d met on Tatooine so I’d remember him. And every day I am grateful that we met. I promise you I will be there for you Ani, just like I did on the terrace on Naboo. I will love you through everything, any wound, any hurt, any good and any bad I will always, truly, deeply love you.”

Her grin grew as she put the paper down, looking him in the eyes with nothing but fondness and love.

“You are in my very soul.”

Anakin couldn’t stop the laugh that came up. To anyone else it may have been an inappropriate time to laugh but both of them knew where the line came from. He could admit now that he hadn’t been very good with lines back then. In his defence he didn’t really learn flirting in the temple despite how often Obi-wan tended to flirt with their enemies as he grew up. 

“That was good.”

The look in her eyes after he said it made him want to just kiss her right then. He knew he couldn’t. Knew it would be frowned upon. That Obi-wan would probably just lecture him about how that was improper and he needed to learn patience. Ahsoka would laugh at him. His men would all probably roll their eyes and tell him he was still rushing in despite the fact that it wasn’t a battlefield here. 

Still he took a deep breath before he moved to take his own piece of paper from his breast pocket and begin reading off of it. 

“Padme, I have loved you since the first moment I set eyes on you.”

He gave a little bit of a wince and slight laugh at his own words. He realized just how rough this might be. He’d never been good at reading off a script. That was much more Padme’s territory than his. 

“When we met I didn’t know much about the galaxy. To be honest I still don’t. You bring me more light than anyone I have ever met. You make me smile when I don’t think I can, you let me laugh when I don’t think I have any laughter to give.”

This just felt wrong. He couldn’t read off a script. It wasn’t his style. It didn’t sound like it was coming from his heart no matter that the words on the page were written solely for her. He locked into her eyes, staring into her beautiful browns and his decision was made. He folded the paper and tucked it back into his pocket before taking both of her hands in his. 

“I asked you all those years ago, in that cursed junk shop on Tatooine if you were an angel. To this day I am convinced that you are. You have saved me in more ways than you could ever know and every day I wake up I am thankful to be yours.”

The room was silent. Just the gentle breeze of Coruscant air filtering past the fabrics draped around the room. The subtle swish as cloth moved to and fro. The near silent breathing of everyone in the room. The light caught against his love’s eyes. Making every color in them stand out. The beautiful chocolate color standing out with flecks of gold, brightening in a way that truly fit the eyes of an Angel. 

“In the early years of the war I went to your office. We were talking about going on a retreat, a place where we could be husband and wife instead of Jedi and Senator.”

He carefully moved a hand away from hers and pulled his saber from his belt. Holding it carefully for her to see it fully and for everyone watching to see what it was he was doing. He could tell by the small gasp that left his soon to be official wife that she knew exactly where he was going with this. 

“Obi-wan has told me since I made my very first saber that this weapon is my life. Padme, this weapon  _ is  _ my life. I told you all those years ago that it was yours, trying to get you to believe me when I said nothing was more important than my love for you. So now this weapon is yours.”

Anakin placed the cool metal hilt into her open palm. The weight that once was a surprise to her now a comfort and a welcome one. 

“ _ I  _ am yours.”

Tears welled in her eyes, the silence echoing through the room while everyone watched.

“Through everything. Every joy, every sorrow. Every busy day and every sick day. I am always with you. I truly, deeply, love you.”

Padme’s tears brimmed over at the same time she laughed. 

“You had to say it like that didn’t you.”

Anakin’s grin matched hers instantly.

“Of course.”

No one in the audience or wedding party had really thought it possible that the brash and sometimes harsh Anakin Skywalker would be capable of words so sweet and heartfelt. Of committing himself so intensely in the name of love to another person. The ceremony continued with many eager eyes watching on. The kiss came and went and eventually the ceremony ended with a happy couple finally united in the public eyes and no longer needing to hide their love from their family. 

Everyone had spread out around the venue after. Enjoying the music and refreshments that had been placed out. The Council members who had come gave both halves of the new partnership their best wishes and congratulations. Things were still tense but they knew a wedding was not the time or place to discuss anything. And besides, Anakin had proven himself and passed his trial to be a Master. He was allowed to have this. 

The couple watched out over the crowd from their place on the balcony of the venue. Gazing over their guests and watching them mill about. Anakin pointed out Jesse trying to measure himself against Wrecker. Hunter and Boil were laughing at both of them and pointing out that Wrecker was much larger, even if Jesse was a strong man. Padme pointed across the hall to where Ahsoka and Sabe were staring over blades that Sabe had hidden on her person and pulled to show. Anakin sighed and wrapped his arm around his wife’s waist. He didn’t have to hide it anymore, there was no sense in not being close to her now that he could. 

“Ahsoka is going to want one of those things now.”

Padme laughed at the thought of the young togruta having more than her already deadly lightsabers. 

“Then you’ll just have to tell her no Ani.”

Her husband frowned at the thought of any conversation where he had to keep his padawan from doing something that he very well would have done as well.

“I hate doing that.”

“But it’s your job to keep her safe. And you’ll need to get used to it when this one comes.”

Anakin’s eyes fell down to Padme’s stomach. He placed his hands over hers and kissed the back of her knuckles.

“Our princess will be well taken care of.”

Padme raised an eyebrow at him.

“I think you mean our prince.”

Both of them laughed. Their old debate stringing since he first found out about their baby. Padme rested her head against his chest as they resumed watching their guests. They saw Cody attempting to get Obi-wan to try the cake as well as Rex getting credits from Kix. Neither of them were particularly gambling men unless it came to Anakin. Making him come to the conclusion that the bet was over if he would manage to hurt himself during the ceremony or not. 

Padme’s soft words drew him away from his thoughts and back to his wife happily embraced in his arms. 

“This one was good, but my favorite is still our first.”

He placed a gentle kiss to her lips once again. The happiness at being able to do it in public now without fear of the future was something he wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to get over.

“Mine too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wholesome Family!! I love them. They deserve this kind of cuteness all the time. Does that mean I'm going to give it to them? Not even slightly. Next week. Next week The beginning of the dread comes. Who's ready? I'm not. I should let you guys all know I had all these prewritten and then college slammed me into the ground and is dancing on my ashes so I'm trying my best but I am deeply sorry if these next chapters are lower quality. I really don't want to let you guys down and I love you all so so so so so much.  
> Thank you as always for reading, thank you for sending the comments last week and I look forward to seeing what you think of this chapter. I will see you all next Friday with an update!!! I love you all have a fantastic Friday!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all so much for reading! I really hope you enjoyed it! Chapter two is coming next Friday so keep an eye for it, I'm very excited to share the content I've got. Thank you all so much again and please let me know what you think so far in the comments! See you all next week!


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